From: Gordon Mohr (gojomo@usa.net)
Date: Tue Dec 19 2000 - 12:51:16 PST
B. K. DeLong writes:
> I'm surprised no one has called AOL on the carpet regarding their total
> non-participation seeing as they have a majority of the IM market cornered
> with AIM and ICQ. If they've showed no interest so far in contributing to a
> standard then they simply need to be publicly bullied into participating.
> Simple as that.
Er, just about everyone who is involved has criticized AOL's
non-participation. The tech media has covered and joined in the
criticism. The shaming just hasn't had much effect.
At the height of CMGI-led anti-AOL campaigning, AOL *was* moved to
submit a vague "architecture" overview document, which served as
a hint as to what kinds of interop they might accept down the line.
But other than that, the industry's attempts at "bullying" AOL
have been just shrugged off.
On the other hand, the lobbying of government entities to force
AOL to change its ways -- a strategy I find morally bankrupt --
may actually deliver results. This campaign reached its ironic
apex just last week, as enemy-of-the-antitrust-state Bill Gates
lobbied FCC officials to crack down on AOL's IM monopoly.
Now that the software and internet industry has invited the FCC,
FTC, and DOJ into its competitive battles, who'll be the big
loser?
(A) AOL-Time-Warner
(B) Microsoft
(C) Anyone interested in making an honest megabuck
(D) All of the above
The answer is (D).
- Gordon
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