Google has launched an instant-messaging (IM) program that allows text chat and computer-to-computer voice connections, a move that highlights the search giant's increasing competition with Yahoo, Microsoft and America Online. You can download Google Talk here. Google also makes it very clear that you do not need Google Talk to use their service, and they provide detailed instructions on using other IM clients to connect to Google Talk. Update: Micheal Robertson announces partnership with Google to promote the use of open standards in VoIP/IM.
Post a Comment
Member since:
---
First link should be http://www.gooogle.com/talk/
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
---
Member since:2005-07-08
Member since:---
Oh, the WP.pl guys (one of two most popular Polish portals) have their own jabber based client (wpkontakt) and they also wrote Jabber server wchich is GPLed software. But this is good seeing Google making business in different way than AOL, Microsoft or many other companies.
On site www.google.com/talk/ you can find information that you can connect to their Jabber server with many other jabber clients and they are working on documentation for developers detailing their custom XMMP-based voice protocol. So basically you won't need to use their software to use their free services 
. That sounds great
Member since:
2005-07-06
This is a very simple client that atually makes net calling very simple. It certainly is a very straightforward approach to messaging, with no (as yet) clutter. If they can actually manage to interconnect all the IM protocols and provide unified messaging, that would be multiple kudos to Google!
I'm looking forward to the opening of their SIP protocol so open source projects can adopt it. It would also be nice if we had a GTK/Qt based messenger for non-Windows machines (for those of us who don't throughly enjoy Gaim/<insert your fav IM client here>), but that's just hoping!
Member since:2005-07-06
...
I'm looking forward to the opening of their SIP protocol so open source projects can adopt it. It would also be nice if we had a GTK/Qt based messenger for non-Windows machines (for those of us who don't throughly enjoy Gaim/<insert your fav IM client here>), but that's just hoping!
Well for that we have Gizmo, the best thing since sliced bread!
http://www.gizmoproject.com/
Member since:---
Member since:
---
Member since:2005-07-08
Member since:---
Member since:2005-07-19
it does not function with gaim v1.5.0
Oh really ? go check this url: http://www.google.com/support/talk/bin/answer.py?answer=24073&query...
I use it right now with gaim 1.5.0 !
Member since:
---
Member since:---
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
---
Agh, why does no one appreciate Linux? Gaim doesn't support voice, so I don't really see any reason to use Google Talk if one has already something like ICQ or MSN account. Well, I'll just have to wait and see how many years it'll take for a Linux version to arrive.
-WereCat
Member since:2005-07-08
I don't really see any reason to use Google Talk if one has already something like ICQ or MSN account.
I totally disagree. Jabber is an open protocol which has the potential to be for IM what POP3 and SMTP are for email. ICQ and MSN are isolated and centralized services, which practically only communicate between themselves.
Google could just be the force to push Jabber into the mainstream and make IM a truely open and universal method of communication, just like email.
Member since:---
I fail to see what's so good about Jabber. So far I have not seen any good reason to use it; it doesn't offer anything new and useful. Oh, and I don't ICQ & MSN being isolated and centralized services as atleast everything can be found in one place, and I don't even need to set any specific server settings to use either.
-WereCat
Ps. This isn't meant to be a flamebait or something like that...
Member since:2005-07-08
Oh, and I don't ICQ & MSN being isolated and centralized services as atleast everything can be found in one place
That's a contradiction.
Anyway, they _are_ centralized, no matter what you think. ICQ only runs on one server (well, a bunch most probably), while Jabber is designed to work between multiple servers. There is no single Jabber server which controls the entire network. Every server can send to every other server. This is the same way our email services work. We don't all use the "AOL Email Server", instead we might use our provider's email server, which then forwards the messages to the recepient's email server, and so on. This is not a matter of opinion, but a technical fact.
The advantages of the de-centralized approach are that you are independent of a single company. Imagine one company would control all email, that sounds quite ludicrous, doesn't it? Everyone can implement improved servers or clients, as long as they follow the protocol. Could Google offer their own ICQ service? Obviously not, instead they would have to create their own self-contained competing service which would once again not be able to talk to clients of another service. Only Jabber makes it possible for Google to offer an IM service that countless users can directly communicate with. Every additional Jabber service increases the compatible userbase, while every additional proprietary IM service leads to more fragmentation.
Other downsides of proprietary centralized services are that the network could be entirely unreachable (heck, the company could go out of business) or that they could restrict access to alternative clients at any time (which has happened a few times already).
As long as you use IM as a toy, this might all not matter to you. But for serious applications of the instant messaging idea, an open protocol like XMMP clearly is the only way.
Member since:---
That's what I was saying, ICQ and MSN are centralized and it doesn't matter. I don't care. What would be so bad if e-mail was also centralized?
"Only Jabber makes it possible for Google to offer an IM service that countless users can directly communicate with. Every additional Jabber service increases the compatible userbase, while every additional proprietary IM service leads to more fragmentation."
Uhh...Did you even read the whole thing? This still does only lead to more fragmentation: you can only use their server and it's not bridged to anywhere else. So, again, it's a single company controlling this whole thing...So, if Google went out of business, or they have some sort of a network problem rendering them unreachable, we would still be in the same situation you were talking about.
By the way, this Google Talk isn't meant for "serious applications of the instant messaging idea", it's just the same as every other IM program. Jabber may very well be good for those serious applications, but still, in this case, it just isn't such a big deal. Google Talk is just the same as MSN or ICQ (with less features), it's just using a different protocol.
About the users: I don't think many average IM users does really care about the opennes of a certain protocol. I know I don't care, as long as it works and doesn't cost me anything. If it costs me something, I stop using it. The same goes for anyone I personally know.
-WereCat
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:---
Uhh, where do you see anything like that reported? Google Talk use their own server and it's atleast not yet bridged anywhere else. Throw me a link if you see something else reported anywhere.
SSL may be good, but I have no need for it. I still don't think anyone is interested in my conversations, so I prefer features over Google Talk's SSL support.
-WereCat
Member since:2005-07-10
1. SSL is a feature
2. http://www.google.com/talk/about.html#open
http://www.google.com/talk/developer.html#service_2
Member since:2005-06-29
http://www.google.com/talk/developer.html#service_1
For starters.
Member since:
2005-07-22
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:
2005-06-29
Member since:2005-07-06
Have you followed all the instructions (http://www.google.com/support/talk/bin/answer.py?answer=24073), particularly turning on TLS and configuring the advanced settings?
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
2005-06-29
Member since:---
Member since:
2005-07-06
I don't know in other places but in Norway and Brazil MSN is very, very popular. Unless Google Talk offers a couple of "killer features" that are appealing enough, I don't know why people would bother to switch. Philosophical reasons ("Jabber is an open protocol") are not enough for most.
OK, once ICQ seemed unbeatable too, but still, so far it looks like "yet another IM".
If only it were compatible with MSN and ICQ, through plugins or something like that, it could be easier to convince people to try it, if nothing else for the novelty factor.
Member since:2005-08-22
Member since:
---
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:
2005-08-22
Everybody seems excited about that *free* IM, but they don't allow connection to other jabber servers.
It's pretty smart, because OSS advocates will make the pray of "How cool, they use an OPEN protocol". However what matters to them is that you use their server, because their business is data.
Member since:
2005-08-09
Member since:
---
Does it allow file transfert under Gaim client? and if no, under the official client? (note that, the xmmp protocol permits this feature).
--
ookoi
http://yadp.sourceforge.net
Member since:2005-07-10
Member since:
2005-06-29
Member since:
2005-07-11
OTOH, you're completely free to use whatever client you wish to connect to this service. Other jabber servers don't integrate GMail, and don't support voice chat, which is basically the new thing Google Talk can do. Connecting to other servers would be completely pointless.
- Simon
Member since:
2005-07-06
Member since:
2005-07-06
I don't see anything great about this. I don't care if its free and uses an open protocol. Thats not my concern and really doesn't matter to me. What I do want to do is add photos, emoticons, and the occasional nudge. Google talk doesn't have this, and I think this IM client is sub-par compared to whats already out there and especially sub-par for google standards.
Member since:
---
Why cant i use my existing email address to sign onto Google talk this is as bad as MSN force feeding us Hotmail (at least there U can use non hotmail accounts via passport).
Is there a way to use non gmail.com email accounts? I successfully registered a google account using my OTHER NON gamil.com email addy.
HOW HOW HOW?
Member since:---
My guess is that Jabber relies on DNS to forward messages to the correct home server of the recipient. This means that Google Talk only manages its own address space, and can not let people register any email address. I suggest you ask your email provider to set up a compatible Jabber server for your email address.
Member since:
2005-07-08
This is still in beta. I know this might not mean much when it comes to Google, but it does mean they'll be adding more features/compatibility to their client as they go. Gmail continues to get more new features, such as the Rich Text ability and a lot more language support. I'm stuck using Windows right now because I need YM! for its voice capabilities (which GAIM doesn't have), but if Google releases a GTK/QT client for Linux, then I'll be in good shape to relegate my Windows partition to testing purposes only.
So let's add up what we want:
Linux compatibility
Full Jabber bridging
???
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
About the users: I don't think many average IM users does really care about the opennes of a certain protocol. I know I don't care, as long as it works and doesn't cost me anything. If it costs me something, I stop using it. The same goes for anyone I personally know.
Well, do you "think" users care about being able to use whatever client they want? Afaic the next time $CLOSED_IM_PROTOCOL "accidentally" breaks their protocoll to keep 3rd party clients out they cant keep their moronic "services" for them selves. I'm going to turn people towards the free and open protocoll which you scoff.. Good luck with the proprietary shit. :-)
Member since:---
Member since:---
Member since:2005-06-29
Except... Once they get the inter-Jabber bridges going, you can sign into ANY Jabber server, ANYWHERE and from there chat with people on the Google Talk server, just like you can send e-mail from ANY server ANYWHERE to the gmail.com server. It's just a beta, and they haven't turned that feature on yet. Give them time.
Member since:2005-08-17
Don't feed the trolls. But so will I:
A Jabber/XMPP address is NOT an email adress, even though it looks like one.
user@gmail.com is an email address, pointing at the MAILSERVER at google
user@gmail.com is a XMPP address, pointing at the XMPP/JABBER SERVER at google.
That your gmail address and your google talk address is the same is a 'lucky' coincidence. It would be the same as requiring your phone company to make your phone number the same as your email address..
Member since:
---
Member since:2005-06-29
You need to log in to a Jabber server once Gmail opens up their connection to other Jabber servers. There are a lot of Jabber servers. You can see a list here[1]. Also useful is that many Jabber servers have AIM/ICQ/MSN/Whatever interconnects, which is what Google Talk is doing with the federating. Have patience, and stop using all capitals. Please.
1: http://www.jabber.org/network/
Member since:---
Member since:
2005-07-06
It's still a bare bones chat client, but the VoIP looks pretty good, and the fact that they use TLS by default is also pretty good.
While they've restricted access to the Google talk servers, I think that's just to keep spammers out of the network. It's the same reason GMail is still by invitation only, but average users get about 50 invites: it allows them to enforce a casual honour system that keeps things nice and clean.
This all seems to be part of a bigger play to make Google a voluntary proxy through which people access the web. It's been enormously impressive to see how they've leveraged RSS in the GDS Sidebar and the Google portal (http://www.google.com/ig). With a bit of work, they could tie the whole thing together, so that the sidebar would indicate the latest updates to the feeds you've specified on your Google home-page, the latest mails from your Google GMail account and which of your buddies are online for Google Talk. Meanwhile Google News finally becomes an added-value proposition by supplied news-headlines.
This is the real advantage of a sidebar like this: it's not clocks and pictures, but the provision of summary information on topics that interest you. All that's left is to make the whole thing more refined in user-terms and to a lesser extent make it cross platform (which would be where XUL-Runner and the Mozilla hackers they've hired come in).
As for the infamous Google cookie and data-rentention issues, there's no real need for Google to go through users' personal information, credit-fraud is a bit beneath a company with a market-cap of $4bn. No, the advantage of that information is they can create a very accurate user profile, allowing them to tune their search results for each individual user (and thus their advertising) and enable them to stay on top of the Search sector (to get new users) and Internet Advertising sector (to earn revenue).
Member since:2005-06-29
It doesn't have anything to do with e-mail. Google Talk just uses the e-mail address as a login because it's convenient for integration with their other services. Other servers use other things for logins- such as whatever nick you want, IRC-style. Why don't you calm down, lay off the caps lock key, and read some useful information[1].
1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabber
Member since:2005-06-29
You don't need to be so belligerent and trollish, 82.18.224.---. We get the idea from your large number of similar posts, that you're not a fan of this service. That's nice. Now know that there's nothing stopping you from using MSN. Enjoy your propriatary protocol! Have fun with your miscellaneous winks, nudges, and annoying custom smilies! Good bye, and no great loss!
*wince* there goes my average comment score...
Member since:2005-08-16
Member since:
2005-07-08
Member since:
2005-07-06
With all the people using MSN currently and the really awful performance and security it brings, this is a win-win for open source and proper open standards (not the bizarre definition Microsoft has for it).
Google is a brand name people will really listen to, and if it can be used with any chat application (no reason why not - it's Jabber) then it is a good step forwards for chat on more platforms than Windows and for open source desktops. Yes you need a GMail account, but who cares? Google are providing the service and it's their servers and infrastructure you're using.
Member since:
2005-07-23
Member since:
2005-07-13
some points to consider:
When you use Google Talk, we may record information about your usage of Google Talk, such as when you use Google Talk, the size of your contact list and the contacts you communicate with, and the frequency and size of data transfers. Information displayed or clicked on in the Google Talk interface (including UI elements, settings, and other information) is also recorded. We use this information internally to deliver the best possible service to you, such as improving the Google Talk user interface and maintaining a consistent and reliable user experience.
someone was asking if google supports advanced features of the xmpp. the german c't magazine used apples ichat with google talk to transmit videos. so i guess file sharing is possible.
talking 'bout the cut server2server communication have a look at http://nolan.eakins.net/node/209 . That guy basically recommends to send a mail federation@google.com to let google know, that you'd like to federate with them (given you run your own jabber server)
flo
Member since:
2005-06-29
That's why I love Google! :-) I'm not forced to use thier client. Sure, I'll loose added value (VoIP) but still, it's a good deal! I see big boost of intrest in Jabber overall. I think that Google made it visible to others in IT sector, that you can use Open Protocols.
http://bronikowski.com/upload/gjabber.png :-D
Member since:
2005-07-08
Does this Google Talk client support coonferences like YM!? That is, can I have a whole 'room' full of people that can use voice capabilities, rather than a 1-on-1 only voice session? With YM!, you can invite a whole slew of people to a conference, and anybody with a microphone can talk rather than type to everybody in that conference. Can you do the same with gtalk?
Member since:
---
Google should allow bridging with other jabber servers and should also install all the transport layer for the other IM protocol. Think about it. That would be a MSN killer, you can talk to your friend on MSN, Yahoo, ICQ and Jabber, have VoIP with other client supporting it. They could invest on developping the bridge so you could transport your avatar on other IM network.
They should also allow people with Jabber account from other servers to log in with their clients. That would simply boost the jabber protocol. What they have to think now is to scramble the game for Yahoo, M$ and AOL, not just attract some other people to a new IM service, which most of them will say: Oh, a new IM service by google! What a feat!
Yeah, Yeah, me too I love google, I own a gmail address and I stopped using my Yahoo for it. But still, I can receive email from everyone on it, not just from other gmail members. I wont stop using MSN messenger until I can receive message, emoticons, avatar, webcam,etc... from other MSN member on this new IM service.
Just my two cents....
Werfu
Member since:---
Member since:
---
Nope under linux / suse 9.1
i get this error:
jabber: Recv (ssl)(78): <failure xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-sasl"><invalid-authzid/>&l t;/failure>
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
g_log: file xmlnode.c: line 192 (xmlnode_get_child_with_namespace): assertion `parent != NULL' failed
autorecon: hid error message while connecting (Authentication Failure)
Member since:---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
I just tried it...worked well except that Gaim doesn't support searching for people o_O If you don't know the exact contact information of a person, you're out of luck. I even went to ask in #gaim about this, but I was immediately labeled as a stalker! Now talk about user-friendly O_o
-WereCat
Member since:2005-07-09
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
---
The interface reminds me of miranda because of how simple and nice it is, but it is even better. Conversation windows are tabbed as well. The voice chat seems superiour to skype in terms of latency, voice quality, and speed of connecting (the instant the other person accepts the call, unless they have a firewall).
And integration with Gmail is nice, though I know other IMs have the ability to do so with POP. Still, this beats the pants off of the bloated MSN Messenger that nearly everyone in Canada seems to use. And GAIM I still do not love.
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
2005-07-06
Member since:---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
That's what I was saying, ICQ and MSN are centralized and it doesn't matter. I don't care. What would be so bad if e-mail was also centralized?
Email was once centralized. Once upon a time it was absolute hell to send email between CompuServe and Prodigy. SMTP fixed that. Believe me, you don't want to go back to that mess.
Uhh...Did you even read the whole thing? This still does only lead to more fragmentation: you can only use their server and it's not bridged to anywhere else. So, again, it's a single company controlling this whole thing...So, if Google went out of business, or they have some sort of a network problem rendering them unreachable, we would still be in the same situation you were talking about.
Uhh... Did YOU read the whole thing? This is only the first beta release. Google plans on offering full connectivity with other Jabber servers as well as other protocols as soon as they can get support for them worked in.
[/i]About the users: I don't think many average IM users does really care about the opennes of a certain protocol. I know I don't care, as long as it works and doesn't cost me anything. If it costs me something, I stop using it. The same goes for anyone I personally know.[/i]
About the users: I do think the average IM user finds it a pain in the ass that they have to have multiple clients open at the same time to talk to friends on different IM networks.
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
Acutally, it does work with 1.5.0. Using it right now. Follow the instructions here:
http://www.smashsworld.com/2005/08/im-on-google-talk-right-now.php
Member since:
---
I find it interesting that they are comparing against other instant messaging clients and touting that they have voip. Meanwhile avoiding voip products that include instant messaging.
If I was to compare apples to apples you should compare theri product and products such as skype.
Member since:
2005-07-20
"To use Google Talk, you must sign in with your Gmail username and password."
http://www.google-watch.org
Don't trust this company if You cherish Your privacy.
Member since:
---
Member since:
---
What's not being mentioned in most news reports is Google Talk is based on Jabber, a free and open protocol already with open servers around the world. You can use any Jabber enabled client to talk to people on Google-talk or on the normal Jabber networks. So far the people who tried Google-Talk yesterday can't talk to people on Jabber.org or other Jabber servers. I don't see whats the allure of Google-Talk, you can just sign up with any of the open Jabber servers (no GMail required and you get full access).
Member since:
2005-07-02
To everyone who dislikes Google Talk because it has too few features or doesn't work with Linux or whatever, please read this document: <http://www.google.com/talk/developer.html>. It explains a few of these complaints. Also, read this <http://www.google.com/support/talk/bin/answer.py?answer=23907> if you want GTalk to support your email adress. Biggest thing that someone should get from these posts? "We are working on it." This is a beta application, made to test the system. Features come after a safe, secure, bug-free system.
Member since:
2005-08-02
The nice thing about Jabber is that no single company can dictate terms; you can get free clients that can handle it, and you don't have to deal with pop-up advertising. However, the one drawback is that it still requires a server, which means whoever controls that server *can* dictate terms. However, that's just life, really; he who owns the toys makes the rules.
Member since:
---
