Audience size drives value, not control
The failure of IM platforms to find a solution to interoperability follows a decision to value control over audience size. The underwhelming end user adoption and ability to monetize these platforms follows directly. A few steps to interoperability exist, but progress leaves end users far short of being able to easily message anyone on any platform. Email remains vastly more popular the IM even though it may represent an inferior communication tool. The same dynamic plays out in the lack of interest connecting VoIP networks. There exist peering solutions, but the telephone network remains the interoperability mechanism of choice. This gets reflected in weak adoption of VoIP. A fully interconnected VoIP ecosystem would follow the example of the web where audience attracted content and content attracted audience in a virtuous cycle. The disconnected audience reality of the present destroys the virtuous cycle and everyone loses.
posted by Daniel @ Monday, August 18, 2008
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