MySpace has entered the ridiculously crowded Instant Messaging sector (download). They are the 900 pound gorilla in the social networking space so why shouldn’t they have their own desktop based IM client? Well, I can think of a half dozen reasons why they shouldn’t. They could have used the Jabber protocol like Google did at least. I guess we hope they will make their system open so that it can be connected to multi-IM services like Trillian?

So if I think this is a bad idea (for us, not for MySpace) why did I download and check this out? Because I’m woefully behind the times on both understanding why MySpace is such a huge success (with younger people primarily) and having any involvement in what’s new.

Look, I’m trying to get with the MySpace program, trying to understand the fad (is that what this is?). I’ve been taking a bit of a beating in the comments over an older Hmm MySpace entry for not getting it (see: “yea dude ur an idiot myspace is like the greatest thing ever invented”), so you bet I’m there for this IM beta. Despite their new IM client looking like just about every other IM client we’ve ever seen. No innovation. Completely and totally me too. What am I missing here? Better community connectivity? I … guess.

Some actual size screenshots:

Nothing. New. (defaults checked, grrrrr)

To See.

Here.

Did see that my name was long ago taken on MySpace and surprisingly the nickname “IamTD” was taken, so I shortened it to “imtd” and voila! A four digit MySpace name. I feel like I’ve just been able to register a four digit domain name. I’m not even convinced hardcore MySpace users will like this new IM client (you?).

Meanwhile, does AOL want to be more MySpace-like with their soon to be provided AIM pages?

And let’s not forget another creative, catch up or copycat story (your choice) in Live Messenger being released. Sorry, left off the Windows part. Not.

Anybody seeing some meat on these bones?

Update 1:33pm PST: aimpages.com is live.

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