Messaging systems, such as instant messaging and IRC, provide real-time collaboration options analogous to asynchronous collaboration via forums and Wikis. Due to the distributed nature of open source development, messaging systems have long been used by developers to “meet” in real time to discuss, collaborate, and provide support to each other and to their users. When combined with logs of conversations, messaging systems can augment a knowledge base and add a much-needed real-time component to collaboration.
Instant messaging and chat-based messaging systems are on the leading edge of collaboration in the enterprise, even though the technology is popular in terms of general Internet use. This is probably because this form of collaboration first gained widespread use for social conversations. Enterprises can also have security concerns regarding network messaging traffic going through public servers such as AOL or Yahoo!, and being susceptible to eavesdroppers. Such concerns can be mitigated by running a private messaging server based on Jabber, or by using serverless instant messaging using Rendezvous. This ensures that all messaging traffic remains on local trusted networks.
The choice of an instant messaging client has a personal component for the user, since “conversations” via this medium are considered a form of personal expression, more than they are with other media such as email and forums. Mature clients address this by providing themes and other customizations to the user interface. Furthermore, large user communities exist in AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, ICQ, and IRC networks, and these networks use messaging protocols that are sometimes incompatible with each other. To address this issue, major clients provide support for simultaneous use of all major protocols. While the user will have to create an account on each network, the day-to-day experience of messaging with users on different networks is unified and seamless.
Messaging systems offer a variety of basic, collaboration, user management, usability, and security and privacy features.
One-on-one chat
Presence management, customizable “away” messages
Tabbed interface, for the ability to manage multiple chats in one window
Group chat
Audio and video chat
Ability to use multiple instant messaging networks simultaneously
Ability to maintain multiple identities per instant messaging network
Ability to send SMS messages
Ability to categorize contact lists in groups
Ability to store buddy lists on the server
The field of open source instant messaging clients is rich, with mature and stable clients available on every major platform. All of our recommendations meet most of the aforementioned features. We include Trillian in this list even though it is not an open source client. The basic client is available free of charge for noncommercial use. Here are our recommendations:
Windows: Trillian and Gaim
Mac OS X: AdiumX and Fire
Linux: Gaim
Jabber
Gaim is a multiprotocol instant messaging client for Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, and Windows. It is compatible with AIM and ICQ (Oscar protocol), MSN, Yahoo! Messenger, IRC, Jabber, and other protocols. Gaim users can log into multiple accounts on multiple instant messaging networks simultaneously.
It supports all basic features.
It offers an integrated spellchecker.
It is extensible via a plug-in API.
It provides tabbed window support.
Trillian is a full-featured, standalone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo! Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not available with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chat, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings.
It supports all basic features.
It includes an integrated spellchecker.
It provides tabbed window support.
It’s free, but it’s not open source.
It’s available for Microsoft Windows only.
Advanced features are available in the Pro version only.
AdiumX is a multiprotocol instant messaging client for Mac OS X. It utilizes libgaim (the core part of Gaim) to connect via multiple protocols, and is based on a new plug-in architecture. Partial address book integration, a tabbed interface, multiple protocols for instant messaging, and a compact contact list are some of the many features of the new AdiumX.
It supports all basic features.
It offers wide support for protocol-level features via libgaim.
It provides support for compact contact lists for smaller displays (like laptops).
It is available for Mac OS X only.
No logging ability is available for group conferences.
Fire is a multiprotocol Internet instant messaging client based on freely available libraries for each service. It is released under the GNU GPL. All services are built off libraries under GPL, including FireTalk, libicq2000, libmsn, Jabber, and libyahoo2. Fire can handle simultaneous connections to AIM, ICQ, Yahoo!, IRC, MSN, and Jabber.
Jabber is an open, secure, ad-free alternative to consumer instant messaging services such as AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo!. Under the hood, Jabber is a set of streaming XML protocols and technologies that enable any two entities on the Internet to exchange messages, presence, and other structured information in close to real time. Open source clients and servers exist today to use Jabber-based instant messaging solutions. Since the protocol specification is open, it is a good choice for real-time messaging solutions for an enterprise. Visit the Jabber web site (http://www.jabber.org/) for a detailed list of servers and clients, and for further technical details.
It is an open protocol, and it’s XML-based (XMPP).
It integrates with other messaging systems (AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, and ICQ) transparently, so phased migration is possible.
Better presence management is built in, and asynchronous messaging is possible.
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