Enterprise-Strength Instant Messaging

摘要

I often joke that the only real change in my work environment over the last ten years has been the appearance of instant messaging. But there's much truth in jest. The ability to instantly create what is essentially a private chat room (at no cost) is a seductive power, and IDC estimates corporate IM-related expenditures are expected to grow from $133 million in 2002 to $1.1 billion by 2005. Total IM usage will soar from the present 65 million workers to more than 255 million, in that same timeframe. In fact, Gartner Group predicts that IM will surpass email as the preferred mode of communications by 2006 (for another viewpoint, see Editor's Eye: "What's Really Going to Happen with IM.") IM messaging is now everywhere. On Net-linked PCs, of course - both wired and wireless; on cell phones as well, where it may exploit the now-ubiquitous SMS for communication between IM "proxy server" and wireless handset, or work within the WAP framework. As handsets become more powerful, screens larger, user interfaces more powerful, and as IP is extended to the handset in unadulterated form, pure IM-over-IP may begin to push SMS out of the network.