Skype killing IM networks, too?
From anecdotal evidence, my own usage patterns, and Tris and Jeremy, it seems like Skype is becoming not only the VoIP client of choice, but also the IM client of choice.
So why are people switching? Well, the average non-technical person at best has one IM account and one client -- and it's usually one of Yahoo, MSN, or AOL. But more technical users that communicate with a lot of people over IM are forced into using multi-protocol clients. While these clients can talk to all the systems, they often don't work well with basic functions like file transfer.
And this is where Skype comes in. It's a good IM client, it has wide-spread usage among the people that are likely to be using IM, and it has fully encrypted communications. The file transfers work really well (I've never had one fail, even behind firewalls), and you can even transfer contacts to someone else.
Oh right....AND it does voice, including conferences. Gersham had this to say (over Skype, of course):
I find the usage pattern for me with a bunch of people I use with it is to start IM'ing with them, then switch to voice and then back to IM.
This is exactly how I use Skype. It allows me to mix voice and IM as needed. When I'm busy, I can IM and multitask. When I need to switch to a focused, information rich conversation, I can make a voice call.
I have been using Agile Messenger on my phone, but Engadget reports today that Skype is getting on Symbian, too.
Now I'm feeling like a Skype commercial. Well, last tip for this ad: change the default double-click behaviour to send an IM instead of initiate a voice call...your Skype conversion is complete.
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I heard, at a recent event
I heard, at a recent event where an industry consultant was speaking, that Microsoft and Skype have done recent board or executive exchange programs. With nearly 3 million Skype users, MS has gotta be interested...
Skype related hardware
Skype sounds interesting. I don't use it but there are some people in my company who are using it for business overseas conference calls and they seem pretty happy with it. An advantage of it is that it can work at some of our customer sites behind a firewall. One of these days I'll look into using it myself.
For those of you who use it, do you use any skype specific phone hardware? If so how well/poorly does it work for you? There doesn't seem to be much choice for people in North America. The goods listed on their accessory page are mostly Europe based. In particular the cordless dual phone looks nifty:
http://www.skype.com/store/accessories/
More Skype Hype
Dvorak has discored it now and it's made it to slashdot:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/28/1925223
One of my co-workers is getting good results from a headset called Labtec 342, available from Staples, which has a noise cancelling microphone. He is able to put the headset on a table with the mike standing up and then turning up the volume on the laptop speakers and be able to use it as a speaker phone in a meeting room.
Why bother?
A USB headset, or in my case, the built in microphone of my PowerBook plus regular headphones, is great.
Part of the advantage of Skype -- or any software based voice solution -- is that it's NOT a phone. You double-click on contacts to call them or instant message them, multi-task while using your computer, and general interact with it in a way that is more advanced than just using a phone.
No one wants to change
I'd love to use one client for IM, but I doubt it will be Skype, mainly because all my friends use different things, either because they're the status quo at work, or because they've been using them for years... My dad isn't likely to use Skype at home -- he's been using MSN for years, and he likes it.
try this IM system it is awsome
hi there, I saw that you had trouble with integrating with your friends on other networks- this client does just that and more-
www.presence-networks.net/
hope this helps regards nick
Except if you want voice
Like Evan's example, he's gotten people on Skype under the pretext of having voice chats with them. But, once it's installed, you've got an IM client as well.
Protocols
Windows messenger uses a slightly butchered version of SIP using pager model messaging (although they do it wrong).. MSN Messenger is completely proprietary, just like most of the major IM clients..
I'd love to sit here and say that open standards are the way to go for IM, but it's simply not ready yet.. Most people using SIP use the SIP MESSAGE syntax, but that's not very useful.. Everynone's waiting on MSRP. It is coming, but it's not there yet..
I have Yahoo and MSN both installed on my computer for IM, and that doesn't really bother me..
Don't get ahead of yourself h
Don't get ahead of yourself here Boris. I agree that Skype has some great prospects ahead of it but suggesting it will kill off the other IM networks is a statement full of hyperbole.
I can count on one hand the number of "normal" people that have Skype installed and that is only because I told them to install it so we could do free long distance chats.
You work in a slightly more rarified environment and to suggest that MS will allow their genre dominating platform to be usurped by Skype is more than incorrect. Skype will continue to expand but seeing as the other IM platforms also offer voice chat functionality leads me to believe that Skype will simply get a nice, profitable, niche and not the entire space. Remember MS always "innovates" (or, as I prefer, copies) best when someone else has a better product; being on the top makes them lazy.
Your analysis of changing the way you work with IM is spot on but your conclusion, IMO, is off. Personally I think you should get back on track with the interoperability message. Compete on services as they like to say...
Open enough
Hyperbole is what this medium is all about. It even prompted you to leave this nice, long, thoughtful message. You being the one of 3 people on my list that still has an ICQ account :P
So...Jabber is the only standard, everything else uses a proprietary protocol.
The voice chats on other systems simply do not work reliably, if it all. Never mind cross-platform.
Microsoft is behind SIP and it's IM counterpart SIMPLE, as far as I know.
I'm not reversing my position on open standards. But, if Skype remains "open enough" -- i.e. lets me have access to APIs to interwork with their platform -- then their lead in the size of their network and the usefulness of their application will keep them out in front.
And your comments about getting other people to install: that is EXACTLY my point. The fact of you wanting to long distance chat with people (you being an influencer) is spreading Skype. And it's IM functionality is just there, for people who might never have installed an IM client. Would you have gotten those same people to install MSN?
And interoperability: works across all 3 major desktop OS platforms. Assimilation will be complete when they support Symbian.
I've been a Trillian user f
I've been a Trillian user for the past few years, and try to use Jabber when possible - but I'm definately going to try moving to Skype for messaging. Knew you could IM with it - just never really thought of using it that way before.
Oh, and apparently Lenn Pryor (Director of Platform Evangelism at Microsoft) is leaving to work with Skype.
Jabber usage
Jabber is the only other client that I would consider using, since it also is a true platform and standard. Time to start experimenting with Gush again.