From the Navy to law firms, workers are using IM to collaborate on projects and to speed up communications with colleagues and customers.
IM is a simple technology with complex implications. After installing desktop IM software and registering on a directory server, users can log in, see who else is currently connected, and then send them instant text messages. Corporations can build applications on top of IM systems that leverage the messaging infrastructure.
The IM products fall into two broad categories. Public products let anyone download a client and establish an account with a central, Internet-based service. These products include Yahoo Messenger, Microsoft Chat (no longer available for download), and AOL's two technologies, AOL Instant Messenger and AIM Express.
The second category includes private products that you set up on your own IM server for users on your internal corporate network. The private products are the ones we'll discuss here.
