Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging (IM)

Instant messaging (IM) technology is a type of online chat that offers real-time text transmission over the internet. Nowadays instant messaging application provide advance facilities of sharing audio and video chat and other files and links. There are two kinds of instant messaging software - application based and web based. Some commonly used IM applications are-

WhatsApp-

WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-platform centralized instant messaging and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by Meta Platforms of Mark Zuckerberg. It allows users to send text and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content. WhatsApp's client application runs on mobile devices and it is also accessible from computer system.

1. WhatsApp uses Ejabberd (XMPP) server which facilitates instant message transfer between two or many users on a real-time basis.
2. ERLANG is the programming language used to code WhatsApp
3. WhatsApp was founded by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, former employees of Yahoo
4. WhatsApp 2.0 initially released on the App Store for the iPhone in February 2009
5. WhatsApp support for Android OS is added in Aug 2010. (whatsapp history)

Facebook Messenger-

Facebook Messenger or (Messenger) is a free instant messaging service and software application which provides text and voice communication. Integrated with Facebook's web-based Chat feature and built on the open MQTT protocol, Messenger lets Facebook users chat with friends both on mobile and on the main website. Facebook Messenger originally launched in 2011. (Facebook Messenger history)

Telegram- 

Telegram is a freeware, cross-platform, cloud-based instant messaging service for several platforms. The service also provides end-to-end encrypted video calling, VoIP, file sharing and several other features. It was launched for iOS on 14 August 2013 and Android in October 2013. Telegram was launched by brothers Nikolai Durov and Pavel Durov

(Telegram history)

Some popular instant messaging software-

1. Messenger (Freeware)
2. WhatsApp (Freeware)
3. Telegram (Freeware)
4. Skype (Freeware)
5. Viber (Freeware)
6. WeChat (Freeware)
7. Google Hangouts (Freeware)
8. Zoom (Freeware)
9. Google Talk (Proprietary software)
10. ICQ (Proprietary software)
11. Trillian (Proprietary software)
12. AIM (Proprietary software)
13. Yahoo! Messenger (Proprietary software)
14. Snapchat (Proprietary software)
15. LINE (Proprietary software)
16. Pidgin (GNU General Public License)
17. Signal (GNU General Public License)