Giving me a reason to use it.
I seem to recall that back when I first started using ICQ the tool was offered
to whomever wanted to use it with only minimal intervention on the part of the
company. We were essentially being told that here was a great tool that permits
you to be in contact with your friends. Yes, there was random chat, but that was
the sort of thing with which you played around when you had some free time on
your hands. Today, though I trust (as in Eitan's case) people download and install
the tool because they want to be in contact with their friends, most of the company's
efforts are devoted to making sure that you've got friends with whom to use the
tool. You've got ICQ but nobody to talk to? No problem, we'll help you find people
with similar interests.
This of course makes good sense. Who needs a communcations tool if you're not
communicating? Still, there's something a bit strange in getting friends as part
of a package deal - "download our program and we'll get you people with whom to
use it". I don't recall this happening when I open a new e-mail account.
Maybe it should.
Go to: Tools I've known and loved ... and often abandoned.