Adding yet another chapter to the seemingly endless battle over instant messaging, AOL has begun blocking Trillian users from accessing its servers, effectively cutting off communication between the independent client and AOL"s ad-laden software. Trillian does not provide its own messaging platform, but instead combines the most popular services into a single program and eliminates the need to run multiple clients. The standoff began last week and Cerulean Studios -- developer of Trillian -- continues to release updated versions (4 in the last 10 days!) to bypass each new block.
Trillian has gained notoriety among IM users due to its simple interface and customization features. Using a single window, Trillian can communicate with ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, IRC and until this week - AOL Instant Messenger. Constant updates have made the client more appealing than AOL"s, as AIM has changed little in the past three years. And perhaps its biggest draw, Trillian sports no advertising or nag screens.
AOL defends its right to block Trillian, calling the software a hack that endangers the security of AIM. Such talk has sparked a heated debate in the industry, with critics accusing AOL of monopolizing a system that should be open.