First Look

Instant messaging is moving from consumer chat to invaluable corporate collaboration tool. Jive Software CTO Matt Tucker -- whose open source Wildfire IM messaging program is gaining quite a bit of traction in the corporate sector -- is confident that IM will eventually eclipse e-mail as a tool for business communications.

IM systems, Tucker notes, provides "faster communication and constant presence -- and it's less intrusive than calling on the phone."

But barriers remain, and Tucker spoke about ensuring HIPAA and Sarbox compliance and the advantages and disadvantages being open source give his company against big players like Microsoft and IBM who are also eyeing the IM market.