Group Chat Comparison: Groups.im vs. Messenger 2009

This is a guest post by Leon Guo, Product Planner Groups.im.

Recently Microsoft came out with the new Windows Live Groups, and I have found a similar service to compare with it from http://groups.im/. Both of them are used by people all around the world and both came out to the market at 2008, Groups.im is a third party platform for group chat. There are differences and some similarities in both of them.Windows Live Groups support up to 48 different languages, Groups.im has only 8 different language packs. Groups.im have a great advantage, which is being able to work with various instant messengers, but the Windows Live Groups only run with Windows Live Messenger. So the advantage of Groups.im is that it will support all mainstream instant messengers on the market, so far it allows users to sign up with their Windows Live ID or Yahoo account for free and soon most of other instant messengers like Google Talk, AIM, ICQ, etc. will also be able to sign in with their account and use the service for free.

Groups.im allows a revolutionary new chat experience. It will have the ability to let people chat through the platform and actually have a boundary-less communication between different instant messengers.

Features

Windows Live Groups

Groups.im

Details

Specialty

Work corresponding with other Windows Live services
All IM networks’ users can have boundary-less communication in one platform
Holds up to 900 users in one chat group

Languages

Release date

December 2008

April 2008

Total users

Unknown

5,000,000*

Official statistics, updated to publishing date

Groups created

Unknown

200000*

Official statistics, updated to publishing date

Target customers

Worldwide

IM networks capable for IM group chat

Windows Live

Windows Live, Yahoo, AOL/AIM/ICQ, Google Talk, Skype etc.*

Still working on AOL/AIM/ICQ, Google Talk, Skype

IM platform capable for IM group chat

Windows Live Messenger 2009 Final (Windows version only) or higher

Windows & Mac all versions below:

Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, aMSN, Pidgin, Digsby, Trillian (include Pro, Astro versions), Miranda IM, Meebo, Adium etc.

IM group chat interface

Chat window shows member list, but does not show group picture, and after unfolding the display pictures you can see the online member list

Chat window shows group picture, and after opening the activity panel* you can see the member list, group rules and other information about the group

Activity Panel opens manually

IM group chat maximum user capacity

20*

900

Groups with up to 20 members can have group conversations using Windows Live Messenger

Group maximum user capacity

1000

900

Command support in Chat

Yes

Create groups

Unlimited & Free

Unlimited & Free*

Customized group account fee

How to create groups

Both Windows Live Messenger Client & Web

Both Windows Live Messenger Client & Web*

Groups.im has to install an add-on client “GIM” to add a “Create Groups.im group” button on messenger

Membership

Public, Restricted, Private

Public, Public Restricted, Private

Public: Anyone may join this group without the permission of Admin.

Public Restricted: Anyone can ask to join, but owner or administrators approve membership requests. (Groups.im offers setting a question and an answer here. If someone is trying to join the group, he has to answer the question to join.)

Private: By invitation only.

Titles

Owner, Co-Owner, Member

CEO, Admin, Member

Discussions

Yes

Photos

Yes. Photos stored in Skydrive space, max. 25GB storage

Yes. Unlimited storage space

Calendar

Yes

SkyDrive

Yes. 25GB storage space

Member List

Yes

Chat Log

Yes

Customize

Group Picture, Group Message, Theme, Description… etc.

Group Picture, Description, Group Rules… etc.

What’s new in your groups?

Yes. Show on the Group page

Yes. Will notify in IM group chat