Comparing 3 Messenger Service

Yahoo! Messenger

               Yahoo!'s instant messaging (IM) service, which includes text messaging, voice calling and file sharing. The IM client includes Internet radio and the regular phone calling at rates as low as one cent per minute. Starting with Version 8.1, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger users can instant message with each other. See instant messaging and voice chat.

voice chat 
              
                An audioconferencing capability via the Internet. It enables two or more people to use the computer as a telephone conferencing system. Although "voice" and "chat" may seem redundant because both words mean to "speak," chatting in the computer field has traditionally meant an interactive communication via keyboard, and not voice. Thus "voice" is used to signify a verbal chat. See voice over IM. 








instant messaging
                Exchanging text messages in real time between two or more people logged into a particular instant messaging (IM) service. Instant messaging is more interactive than e-mail because messages are sent immediately, whereas e-mail messages can be queued up in a mail server for seconds or minutes. However, there are no elaborate page layout options in instant messaging as there are with e-mail. The basic operation is simple: type a brief message and press Enter. 
Instant messaging services may also provide video calling, file sharing, PC-to-PC voice calling and PC-to-regular-phone calling. Instant messaging has promoted IP telephony because the IM software makes it easy to switch from "text chat" to "voice chat" if the user has a headset or microphone and speakers.

Buddy Lists
             In order to set up an instant message, you have to add the usernames of the people you want to message with to your "buddy list" (friend list, contact list). When they log in to the Internet with their IM software, and provided they have not configured themselves as "invisible," you are instantly alerted. When they log out, you are also notified. Each system has its own method for blocking incoming and outgoing messages.

The IM Services
             Instant messaging (IM) became popular after Israeli-based ICQ introduced its service in 1996, which was later acquired by AOL. The major IM services are AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM), ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber and Microsoft's incarnations: MSN Messenger, Windows Messenger and Windows Live Messenger. See AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, MSN Messenger, Windows Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.

Although third-party IM clients such as Trillian (www.ceruleanstudios.com) and Simple Instant Messenger (http://sim-im.berlios.de) were designed to interface with multiple IM services, the IM clients from the IM service itself were always proprietary to that service. Google changed that practice by basing Google Talk on the open XMPP protocol used in Jabber, which is supported by the open source community (see XMPP). See IRC, chat, chat room, voice over IM and IMUnified.                
hotmail messenger

Free email service operated by Microsoft Corporation. The web-based email service was purchased by Microsoft in 1997 and serves millions of users across the world. Hotmail has gone through a number of changes over the last decade and now provides users with a variety of options including audio players, organization tools, and spam filtering. Microsoft has integrated the email service with their Passport and MSN Messenger features. Hotmail is constantly upgraded and still remains one of the leading email service providers.  

Windows Messenger


The instant messaging (IM) client in Windows XP. Windows Messenger is the XP counterpart to MSN Messenger, both of which have been upgraded to Windows Live Messenger. Organizations can use the instant messaging capabilities in Microsoft Exchange to set up a private IM system. See Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Lync.

Windows Live Messenger



                        Microsoft's instant messaging (IM) service, which provides text messaging, file sharing and voice and video calling. Windows Live Messenger combines the previous MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger clients into one system under the Windows Live umbrella. Users can instant message with each other as well as Yahoo! Messenger users. See MSN, MSN Messenger and Windows Live.


Microsoft Lync

                      Microsoft Lync Server is software that provides a unified communications infrastructure for instant messaging (IM), voice and video calling and Web conferencing both within the organization and externally. Lync Server uses the address books maintained by Microsoft Exchange Server. Lync Server was previously Office Communication Server (OCS), which evolved from Live Communications Server.