The release of eShare's Expressions Chat Server promises to give Webmasters new administration controls to manage Internet chats. With the release of Expressions, which uses a Java client eShare has created a seamless graphical user interface that will be compelling to both system administrators and online consumers. Seeking to offer more features for less money than current market leaders as iChat, Expressions is competitively priced at $795 for 50 simultaneous user licenses and provides both real-time chat and bulletin board service communications capabilities. Formerly Interactive Marketing Technologies, eShare received $2.5 million in venture capital from Softbank Ventures, Chase Capital Partners, and Flatiron Partners.

• The company's diverse offerings will serve as a one-stop-shopping solution for consumers looking for both bulletin board and chat services.The communications technologies are real-time, text-based chat and static bulletin board systems. Companies such as Talk.Com, iChat, and OnLive! Technologies have been leading the real-time chat space while Electric Minds, RadNet, Netscape, and Lotus have been vying for turf on the other side of the fence. By sitting on top of the online communications fence, eShare may be opening itself up to a previously untapped niche.

• Do we really need proprietary chat services? There are currently a number of freely available alternatives to licensing expensive chat server tools. Technologies and services such as the Inter Relay Chat (IRC), a real-time, Unix-based chat service, Java chat clients, and pearl scripts written for Web-based dialogues, are all publicly available. While eShare's pricing model may be compelling relative to its more expensive competitors, such as Quarterdeck ($15,000) and iChat ($1,000 for 25-user license), freely distributed alternatives may make it a tough sell.

• Chat services will be well positioned for the Internet telephony marketplace. Companies such as Microsoft, White Pine, and OnLive! Technologies are spending much more time and money on developing real-time voice-based chat applications for use over the Internet. While audio and video technologies are currently pressed against the bandwidth ceiling, causing choppy, time-delayed sessions, broadband technologies promise to break the sound barrier. OnLive! is the current market leader in this niche. eShare is currently considering moving into this space.

• Advertiser-supported chat services will be attractive to content providers aiming to increase their revenue streams. As an advertising vehicle, chat has a great amount of potential. Users chatting in areas defined by interests or repeatedly posting to topical bulletin boards is unquestionable fodder for targeted advertising. Users spend far less time on Web pages than they do at chat or chat-enabled sites (30-plus minutes on average). eShare's Java client enables both rotating banners and scrolling text at the bottom of the application. The latter of the two features will be especially compelling to content sites interested in making its own announcements separate from banner ads.

• eShare is intending to differentiate itself through its easy installation, and user-friendly interface. Written in Java, eShare's client seamlessly integrates with Netscape Navigator, avoiding lengthy client downloads and firewall complications (Common issues with iChat and IRC). It is currently developing ActiveX (for Microsoft Internet Explorer integration) and HTML versions. Also, Expressions highly customizable features such as profanity filtering, ignore functions, and public, private, and moderated rooms with password protection, will be compelling to system content providers eager to control the ebb and flow within their site

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