Zen, will you talk to those morons at AOL for us.<ggg>
March 07, 2000 11:23
AOL Deprives Open Internet Communication to iCASTER, PowWow
and Its Own AIM Users
WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2000--
iCAST and Tribal Voice Deploy Interoperable Instant Messenger to Connect 58 Million Users; AOL
Blocks Advance in Online Communication
iCAST, an online entertainment and majority-owned operating company of CMGI Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI),
announced today that beginning on March 1st, AOL intentionally denied communication between users of
its AIM instant messaging application and the iCASTER, iCAST's recently launched multimedia player
with built-in interoperable instant messaging. The iCASTER is designed to work with instant messaging
services from AOL, Microsoft, Alta Vista, AT&T, Freeserve, Tribal Voice and all other PowWow-based
services. iCAST vows to take steps to reinstate interoperability for iCASTER and AIM users, and that it
will continue its consumer advocacy campaign for interoperable instant messaging services. Information
on iCAST and Tribal Voice's advocacy effort can be found on icast.com, as well as details on how to join
its letter writing campaign.
"We believe the Web should be free of barriers so that people can communicate openly and without
restrictions. Like any other communication system in the world; barriers make everyone suffer," said
Margaret Heffernan, president and COO of iCAST. "The Web is about open communication and
connecting people, and proprietary platforms only deprive consumers - ours and AOL's. As long as AOL
holds the iCASTER and other IM services hostage, we will continue to press for open communication
platforms." |
