[scrollaway]

Google replaced their XMPP messaging system by Hangouts, a 100% closed protocol with no signs of even wanting to open source it.

From a FOSS pov, both Google and Microsoft have positive and negative sides to it. They're massive companies, you can't judge them as one giant blob.

What MS is doing right now with .NET is fantastic for open source. Just like what Google is doing right now with Hangouts is frankly bullshit. Judge actions, not entities.

[zanny]

Google's treatment of open messaging, albeit terrible, has nothing to do with its patent behavior.

Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, and many other companies are known aggressors who use software patents as weapons of war to destroy competition and extort other companies. Google has consistently refused to participate in such immoral behavior without first being attacked by similarly sized companies.

[MichaelGG]

XMPP had a fair amount of shortcomings and the real issue is that federated systems don't solve spam. So everyone living in this "we'll run our own IM systems, just like email" is deluded, as spam in email is barely a solved issue. And much of the solution involves blocking "independent" servers.

[scrollaway]

You missed the part where Google is not open sourcing Hangouts.