Mankind has always had the need to communicate with one another through various means. Ever since ancient times, methods of communication have been used to convey messages over great distances. In medieval wars, smoke and light signals served as a way to communicate separated armies with one another. Similarly, messengers on horseback rode many miles to pass information to one another. As centuries went by, the development of the telephone replaced such inconvenient methods therefore making it easier to convey messages to and fro. However, it was not long before we soon discovered an easier way of communication. The discovery of the internet.
The development of the internet has changed the way society has evolved over the past few decades. Besides being able to access information from all over the world at a click of a button, communication between individuals have also benefited greatly with the usage of the Electronic mail or otherwise known as email. However, as a frequent user of the internet, I find it impossible for a day to go by without using my MSN account.
MSN was a freeware instant messaging client developed and distributed by Microsoft between 1996 and 2006 for computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system.(wikipedia,2006)However, similar to any other technological development, MSN started of from the development of instant messaging.
So what is Instant Messaging? According to sources, instant messaging also known as IM is a form of communication between two or more parties through typed text over the internet. However unlike another technological wonder; the email, instant messaging enables an individual to see if the other party is available at the present moment. Thus this made it easier to communicate with one another unlike the email.
The history of Instant messaging began in the 1970s when multi-users operating systems such as UNIX helped facilitate users logged on the same machine, the same network and subsequently the internet, communicate with one another.(wikipedia,2006) However, the instant messaging as we know it today only clearly took off when the first Instant Messaging client was created in July 1996 by four Israelis; Yair Goldfinger, Arik Vardi, Sefi Vigiser and Amnon Amir of the Mirablis company.(Albany, 2001) This soon led to the development of ICQ(aka I seek you) which was then released in November of the same year.
Although, the development of the ICQ server would probably be considered to be a main example of Instant Messaging, it was not the first. In 1981, Yale University used a network to connect itself to the City University of New York. A conferencing system called Message was part of the network (called BITNET) and allowed people to send IMs to each other. (Albany, 2001)
So how exactly does instant messaging work? Most instant messaging software contains two main components which ensure the smooth running of its communication; the client software and the server software. While client software may be sometimes found on the internet browsers, such IM programs require download. The server’s software on the other hand acts as a directory where the client’s information and data is stored. For example, if a client was to send a message to another client who was presently not online, the message would be stored and retrieved when the unavailable client logs on.
In instant messaging, besides the “to and fro” typed messages which is most often used, another wonder of it would be the ability to transfer images or videos. Similar to offline text messages, if the recipient is not online, the server software would be able to store it for the time being. Another useful feature which can be found in instant messaging, would be the usage of the “web cam” and microphone function. It is through this advancement that many corporate businesses are able to cut deals with one another without even meeting. Two companies on both sides of the globe would be able to “meet” upon a schedule time by using this new method of communication.
Ever since the early days of instant messaging, the IM service is currently one of the most important uses in the web world. According to the American Online Inc, 38 percent of online consumers send more Ims rather then emails. This being up by 19%. Probably because of this, many corporations such as AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft, ICQ and Google have found it extremely profitable to dive into.
With the development of instant messaging from a basic to fro mean of communication, to something which many rely on example: meetings, file sharing, I as a frequent user of MSN would not be able to survive without it. It is through the far sighted views of the four ICQ programmers did instant messaging have flourished to what it is today.
References:
(Nov/Dec 2003). How instant messaging works. Retrieved 01 24 2007, from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3937/is_200311/ai_n9328272
(2005,November,11). Instant Messaging statistics. Retrieved January 27, 2007, from Instant Messaging statistics Web site: http://breakingnewsblog.com/instantmessaging/archives/instant_messaging_statistics/
The development of the internet has changed the way society has evolved over the past few decades. Besides being able to access information from all over the world at a click of a button, communication between individuals have also benefited greatly with the usage of the Electronic mail or otherwise known as email. However, as a frequent user of the internet, I find it impossible for a day to go by without using my MSN account.
MSN was a freeware instant messaging client developed and distributed by Microsoft between 1996 and 2006 for computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system.(wikipedia,2006)However, similar to any other technological development, MSN started of from the development of instant messaging.
So what is Instant Messaging? According to sources, instant messaging also known as IM is a form of communication between two or more parties through typed text over the internet. However unlike another technological wonder; the email, instant messaging enables an individual to see if the other party is available at the present moment. Thus this made it easier to communicate with one another unlike the email.
The history of Instant messaging began in the 1970s when multi-users operating systems such as UNIX helped facilitate users logged on the same machine, the same network and subsequently the internet, communicate with one another.(wikipedia,2006) However, the instant messaging as we know it today only clearly took off when the first Instant Messaging client was created in July 1996 by four Israelis; Yair Goldfinger, Arik Vardi, Sefi Vigiser and Amnon Amir of the Mirablis company.(Albany, 2001) This soon led to the development of ICQ(aka I seek you) which was then released in November of the same year.
Although, the development of the ICQ server would probably be considered to be a main example of Instant Messaging, it was not the first. In 1981, Yale University used a network to connect itself to the City University of New York. A conferencing system called Message was part of the network (called BITNET) and allowed people to send IMs to each other. (Albany, 2001)
So how exactly does instant messaging work? Most instant messaging software contains two main components which ensure the smooth running of its communication; the client software and the server software. While client software may be sometimes found on the internet browsers, such IM programs require download. The server’s software on the other hand acts as a directory where the client’s information and data is stored. For example, if a client was to send a message to another client who was presently not online, the message would be stored and retrieved when the unavailable client logs on.
In instant messaging, besides the “to and fro” typed messages which is most often used, another wonder of it would be the ability to transfer images or videos. Similar to offline text messages, if the recipient is not online, the server software would be able to store it for the time being. Another useful feature which can be found in instant messaging, would be the usage of the “web cam” and microphone function. It is through this advancement that many corporate businesses are able to cut deals with one another without even meeting. Two companies on both sides of the globe would be able to “meet” upon a schedule time by using this new method of communication.
Ever since the early days of instant messaging, the IM service is currently one of the most important uses in the web world. According to the American Online Inc, 38 percent of online consumers send more Ims rather then emails. This being up by 19%. Probably because of this, many corporations such as AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft, ICQ and Google have found it extremely profitable to dive into.
With the development of instant messaging from a basic to fro mean of communication, to something which many rely on example: meetings, file sharing, I as a frequent user of MSN would not be able to survive without it. It is through the far sighted views of the four ICQ programmers did instant messaging have flourished to what it is today.
References:
(Nov/Dec 2003). How instant messaging works. Retrieved 01 24 2007, from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3937/is_200311/ai_n9328272
(2005,November,11). Instant Messaging statistics. Retrieved January 27, 2007, from Instant Messaging statistics Web site: http://breakingnewsblog.com/instantmessaging/archives/instant_messaging_statistics/
History of the World Wide Web.(2006). In Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia Retrieved 01 25 2007,from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_World_Wide_Web&oldid=73974490
Instant Messaging. (2006). In Wikipedia [Web]. Retrieved 01 25 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging#History
(2001). Instant Messaging. Retrieved January 27, 2007, from Instant Messaging Web site: http://www.albany.edu/~jl8109/isp301/levich.html
(2001). Instant Messaging. Retrieved January 27, 2007, from Instant Messaging Web site: http://www.albany.edu/~jl8109/isp301/levich.html
