Instant Messaging of future

As technology becomes main agent for human interaction nowadays, more and more people connecting to each other indirectly, could via voice, text and video. The  way is texting via instant messaging (IM).

When SMS and voice communication is so yesterday, im offer more attractive and add value to the communication. The killer features is group messaging and ability to attach rich media file into the chat. Other high demanded feature such as share location, virtual activity also available depend on protocol and device.

There are so many IM protocol currently available. From the legendaries ICQ, IRC from the first dot-com booming during new millennia. Then internet giant enters the competition for their users such as Yahoo with Y!msgr, Google with Gtalk, Microsoft/Hotmail with Live (recently acquired Skype), Facebook Chat, AOL and many more that has no significant user. The most recent is smartphone/service vendor to push their own protocol. There are RIM with Blackberry Messenger, Nokia with Ovi chat,  Whatsapp, some local brand like Nexian Messenger and Esia Messenger. 

Remember old day where we can only send SMS within same operator/network, operator never thought the SMS could be one of their revenue machine. But when SMS inter-operator is available, instantly SMS become ultimate revenue generator.  Imagine internet with no inter-networking capability, telephone with no inter-operator switching,  email can only send to same domain user, closed group IM has no future, unless it can communicate thru all protocols/provider.

So IM service provider should start collaborate the chatting inter-operates across protocol. Some already started with limited partners, like Ovi can talk to Gtalk, Y!msgr to MSN (maybe with Skype too?), but still not as one global inter-protocol IM. Only by all-connected protocol, IM will be considered important way to socialize at least for years to come. No more one ID for every protocol if we want to chat with people in the group.

Be a wise social networker

Seems like social network has bring new wave of how human interact in virtual way. The good things is, why we all like it very much, it connect to old friends to a level of we could never imagine before. Of course this bring new value for humanity as well as human-and-human interaction. When Facebook surpasses it half billionth member registrations, in urban city it's hard to find someone who still dont have a Facebook account. From student, unemployment, and professional worker, all have their account.

Not only facebook, there are also Twitter, four-square, and some giant-backed service like Yahoo's 360, and koprol, Google's buzz which try to get user's trust to publish their social-personal voices. Fact I found, not all of us can measure the risk of posting personal information (including status, photograph, and video) to a service.

From my personal observation and experience, I'd like to share some tips to be a wise user, as well as protect our privacy :

1. Create account for intended use only.
If you just want to be a normal person, then just add your real world friend as your connection. If you're a really famous public figure (at least you thought of), then best advise is create a separate account just for it, where you can add whoever as your friend. I'm not a close person, but doubt the meaning of a friend for those who have thousands of "friends". Friend is supposed both way, isnt it ?

2. Don't say things you might regret it.
Never post or stand on an opinion that you think you might regret it in the future or blocking your professional way. Quoted from some reading that Internet never forget things, thanks to web crawlers and archive capability.

3. Never over-post your family
People just like to share, but never share or post photo, video and status about your children in your public account. If you just cant help yourself of posting it, create a dedicate account from them. Add only some close friend. No point to show of to your friend where or what you and your family is doing to anonymous.

4. Check it out as you are a stranger
Check privacy setting regularly and check your "wall" and posted item as anonymous. If still accessible, change setting or instead remove it immediately. Sometime I feel like people are more open even to their virtual stranger friend than to real world friend instead. Next time, when going to post a bit, hope you can be wiser to think of the risk.