By Google supporting AIM in their Google Talk messenger, Google is now officially evil based on the fact that it is now considered a multi-protocol client. Multiprotocol clients do nothing to increase Open Standards. In fact, they do the exact opposite by hindering instant messaging as a whole:
- Multiprotocol clients are a curse for interoperability.
- Multiprotocol clients hinder adoption of open standards like XMPP and SIMPLE.
- Multiprotocol clients even hinder their own adoption!
- Multiprotocol clients explain why "the Firefox of instant messaging" does not yet exist.
Please read the following article for support of these arguments. All the more reason why I left Google Talk for a fully functional XMPP implementation on my own server.
With Open Discussion Day coming around the corner here in a few months, begin supporting Open Standards now by switching to Jabber/XMPP and ditching your proprietary protocols- including Google Talk. I highly recommend using jabber.org for all your XMPP needs. Let your family and friends know early that you are making the switch, and encourage them to do the same, so when Open Discussion Day is here, it won't be so difficult to switch. Instant messaging should be open like email- allowing any server to talk to another without the vendor lockin.
So, Google, if you're reading this, I'd advise opening your implementation of Jabber, and ditching AIM support. You're only making the playing field worse, and you're tarnishing your reputation as a company that is not evil. As far as I'm concerned, Google Talk is just another proprietary IM service now, and you don't get my support.
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