With the Instant Messaging debate raging and other vendors jumping on the bandwagon to support the open standard, eShare Technologies offers a alternative perspective on the issue: Choice.

eShare Connections will give Web sites the option of either supporting the Internet Engineering Task Force's forthcoming instant messaging standard or of running their own closed proprietary community-based service.

The debate is being defined as the will of the masses verses the will of proprietary Internet sites, yet this may not be entirely accurate, according to Mark Swanson, product manager for eShare Connections. "Picture a scenario where a site (large or small) wants to create a branded community exclusive to its members such as a niche sports site. Community exclusivity in this example is actually something that may be supported by the people," said Swanson. "eShare Connections gives these sites freedom of choice to either open up or close their community. When instant messaging is used within a corporate intranet, no one questions that the system is closed. It should be no different for Web sites that want to create a similar proprietary community of users."

Using eShare Connections, sites can boost their advertising revenues, brand awareness and user retention by offering members a persistent real-time communication tool. Faster and less cumbersome than email, eShare Connec-tions empowers users to seek out and communicate with each other in real-time, bookmark their favorite URLs, store conversation notes, send and receive files - even enable sounds to alert them when friends have logged on.

A compact client resides on users' desktops and becomes active the moment they turn on their PC. This critical starting point is the ideal time to deliver ad messages using the software's built-in banner capabilities.

Connections major benefits are that it:

• Enables users to instantly connect with others within a community.
• Provides users with an incentive to return to a site
• Stimulates interaction at a site to increase membership
• Relies on a compact client that resides on the user's desktop
• Works through HTTP firewalls

About eShare Technologies
eShare Technologies, Inc. (www.eshare.com) delivers powerful enterprise-class interaction software and services that are crucial for eBusiness. These innovative technologies include web-based customer service and support, customer self-service, live conferencing and events, distance learning, Community chat, threaded discussion forums, and custom integration tools. Current eShare Technologies clients include AOL, AT&T WorldNet Service, Computer Associates, GeoCities, Lycos, networkMCI, UUNet, the University of Florida, Pfizer, Bertelsmann, Columbia University, Hewlett Packard, Xerox and 1-800-FLOWERS.

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