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0 pointsihuman8y ago0 comments

This problem was solved with XMPP/Jabber. Facebook and Google used to use it for their chat clients. You used to be able to use Google Talk to talk with other servers, but after a while they removed that, and then killed Google Talk. Facebook messenger used to have an XMPP-compatible API, but could never talk to other servers.

I don't know why more messaging services use XMPP to bootstrap their userbase. It would allow you to switch to a new service, while you could still talk to your friends that haven't moved yet.

0 comments

Karunamon8y ago

No, no it bloody well wasn't. XMPP is a horrible protocol with any number of incompatibilities depending on which set of XEPs your particular implementation supports and which set your clients speak.

There's a reason it never took off, and it has nothing to do with corporate mendacity.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2069810

kalleboo8y ago

There are plenty of horrible, incompatible protocols that are widely adopted by industry (FTP, CalDAV, IMAP, DLNA...). Where there's a will there's a way.

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