Google Wave compared to SIP and XMPP

Michael Morisy compares the potential of Google Wave to "unify" communications to enterprise favorites such as Cisco Webex, and adopted standards such as SIP for telephone and XMPP for messaging.

The post states that: While these open technologies have proliferated and even penetrated the enterprise market, few have offered the flexibility, interoperability, real-time and open source that Google Wave promises. XMPP is an IM protocol with some extensions, and SIP is a voice protocol with some extensions. Google Wave lacks a clear central application; instead, it enables or transforms any number of existing communication methods.

Maybe it lacks a clear central application ... for now. Before the web was invented, the internet lacked a clear central application as well. By creating the hype and the enthusiasm worldwide, armies of developers and conceptual thinkers are planting the seeds for great applications. Sure, Wave will have no trouble winning over thousands of early adopters. However, in order to move millions, the real killer functionality will need to encompass a dramatic optimization for a large, mainstream audience. And that audience needs to be ready for it as well.