ITinfo: AOL Refuses to Dance at the Prom

Neighbors We Wish We Didn't Have
AOL forgets to share

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AOL Refuses to Dance at the Prom
by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

America Online (AOL) continues to block users of Microsoft's MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger from sending instant messages to AOL Instant Messenger users.

AOL complains that MSN Messenger users who want to import their AOL buddy lists into Microsoft's new app must reveal their AOL passwords -- a major security breach and something that AOL says they would never ask one of their users.

But as I see it, AOL is just plain refusing to play nicely with the neighbors. By maintaining a closed, proprietary network, AOL executives think they can control the Internet experience of their customers. Heck, AOL owns ICQ, the most popular instant messaging system of 35 million or so users, and it doesn't work well with AOL's home-grown product.

Get a life, AOL. You'll still be the largest provider of Internet dial-up services, you'll still have your many million customers to see your online banner ads. Why not give new opportunities to your customers. If it weren't for them, you wouldn't be here now.

I suggest we all dump AOL's instant messenger service and use ICQ. What do you think?

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updated July 25, 1999
http://dgl.com/itinfo/1999/it990725.html