The more the merrier?

[temi]

With all this big companies competing to create IM, VoIP and all the other application, I wonder if this is good for technology or just a waste of time and one more application to install on our computer. I remember when ICQ was THE IM, now I have lost count of how many IM exists on the net this days.

[matthewmurcia]

I think that as long as it doesn't waste MY time then that's fine Maybe markets get like that because no-one comes up withy a really killer app that solves things for people ( a bit like google with search) so if another company comes along and sorts all those problems out and can communicate and market it well, then it will take off I think. Maybe in this case it will be that GTalk will join all the different ones together. Personally, I don't think it will be very successful with voice, cause Skype already have a good base established and it works really well. If it wasn't for the fact that almost everybody I know uses messenger then I would switch to skyp cause you can do IM on that as well.

[temi]

Good poing Mathew,
I think there should really be a "one IM to rule them all" to save the need to install so many IM

[Duke]

I'm really only using MSN and will likely install googles IM program but that'll be it. I don't really use IM software much anyway because most of my buds are online when I'm at work.

[matthewmurcia]

I just this morning, as well as duke's reply, received notice from Skype (and it will be no coincidence given what google has just releases) that they have released a new beta version and it looks very very complete. They have IM, VOIP, calls to regular phones, virtual voicemail, you can even order a regular phone number that people can phone you at and that you answer through your computer. AND, if that wasn't enough, they have even launcehd an outlook tollbar which seems to do lots of exciting communication and organization related things. Now I just need to see if more people I know use it. I've used it a few times on projects and I really like it.