Ad potential driving AOL, Microsoft messaging war Messaging systems at a glance Microsoft fired the first shot last Wednesday with MSN Messenger, free software that allowed Net users to send instant messages to AOL subscribers. It also communicated with users of AOL Instant Messenger, a similar product to MSN Messenger. Since then, AOL has been blocking MSN Messenger users, saying that Microsoft's move is an invasion of privacy and tantamount to hacking. And Microsoft has been tweaking its software to evade those roadblocks. At last count, Monday evening, MSN Messenger was again operational.
Instant messages allow for communication far speedier than e-mail.
In a small on-screen window, users can send and respond to messages almost instantaneously while operating other programs. AOL members could add friends, family and other contacts to the list. Prodigy and Yahoo released messaging programs last week that were interoperable with AOL and AIM systems. At the same time, Microsoft released MSN Messenger software, which also allowed users to send instant messages to AOL and AIM users. However, AOL takes issue with the software's design.