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Tencent currently offers a premium membership scheme, which offers features such as mobile QQ, ringtone downloads and SMS sending/receiving. In addition, Tencent offers Diamond noble memberships. Currently, there are seven diamond services available:
Tencent currently offers a premium membership scheme, which offers features such as mobile QQ, ringtone downloads and SMS sending/receiving. In addition, Tencent offers Diamond noble memberships. Currently, there are seven diamond services available:
* Red, for the QQ show service.
* Red, for the QQ show service.
* Yellow, for the Qzone service which is similar to a blog.
* Yellow, for the [[Qzone]] service which is similar to a blog.
* Blue, which is for QQ games.
* Blue, which is for QQ games.
* Purple, which is shared between three Tencent games, QQNana, a Korean dancing game, QQTang, an action game, extremely similar to [[crazy arcade]], and QQSpeed, a race game.
* Purple, which is shared between three Tencent games, QQNana, a Korean dancing game, QQTang, an action game, extremely similar to [[crazy arcade]], and QQSpeed, a race game.

Revision as of 07:23, 26 February 2009

"QQ" redirects here. For other uses, see QQ (disambiguation).
Tencent QQ
Developer(s)Tencent Holdings Limited
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
Available inChinese, English
TypeInstant Messaging
Websiteqq.com
File:QQlogo.PNG
QQ.com's old logo

Tencent QQ, generally referred to as QQ, is the most popular free instant messaging computer program in Mainland China, and the world’s third most popular IM service [1]. The program is maintained by Tencent Holdings Limited (SEHK: 700), owned in part by Naspers.[2] Since its entrance into Chinese households QQ quickly emerged as a modern cultural phenomenon, now being portrayed in popular culture. Aside from the chat program, QQ has also developed many subfeatures including games, pets, ringtone downloads, etc.

Naming

The original name of QQ was OICQ. The name was based on an already existing IMS (Internet Message Service), "ICQ".

ICQ was one of the first IMS programs. The acronym "ICQ" came from the fact that the letters sound like "I seek you".

"OICQ" stood for "Oriental ICQ"[citation needed] but because of possible trademark infringement was changed to "QQ".

History

Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China in 11 November, 1998. Tencent's instant messaging service platform, "QQ" was formally launched in February 1999. After years of strong business growth, on July 16, 2004, Tencent Holdings Limited (SEHK 700) went public.

Development

QQ was initially developed by Tencent Inc. in February 1999. It was first released as a "Network Paging" real time communications service. Then other features were successively added such as chatrooms, games, personal avatars (similar to "Meebo" in MSN), internet storage, and internet dating services. Most of these features were free. Its variety of features and easy-to-use interface made it very popular, especially among teenage users. In a few short years it was the most popular real time communications service in China.

The current version of QQ is QQ2009 Beta.[3] Tencent periodically releases special versions of QQ to coincide with events such as the Olympics or Chinese New Year.

The official client runs on Microsoft Windows and a beta public version was launched for Apple Mac version OSX 10.4.9 or newer [4]. The web version, which makes use of Ajax, is currently in Beta[5]. On July 31st, 2008 Tencent released an official client for Linux. [6]

File:TencetTM.PNG
User Interface of Tencent Messenger

In response to competition with Windows Live Messenger, Tencent released Tencent Messenger, which is targeted to business people. It also provides, in limited form, features that are only available to premium members in normal QQ.

A beta version of QQ is currently available for Symbian S60 3rd Edition. [7]

Membership

QQ currently allows free registration for membership. In 2002, Tencent had stopped its free membership registration, requiring all new members to pay a fee. However, free registration was reopened in 2003 due to pressure from other instant messaging services such as Windows Live Messenger and Sina UC. Tencent currently offers a premium membership scheme, which offers features such as mobile QQ, ringtone downloads and SMS sending/receiving. In addition, Tencent offers Diamond noble memberships. Currently, there are seven diamond services available:

  • Red, for the QQ show service.
  • Yellow, for the Qzone service which is similar to a blog.
  • Blue, which is for QQ games.
  • Purple, which is shared between three Tencent games, QQNana, a Korean dancing game, QQTang, an action game, extremely similar to crazy arcade, and QQSpeed, a race game.
  • Pink, for QQ pet, a small desktop game about raising a pet. So far there are 3 generations of pets. Penguin, Pig, and Bear (Beta testing).
  • Green, for QQ music, which is a software for listening to music directly from the Tencent server. Requiring no pre-download and sometimes consuming a lot of disk space due to caching.
  • VIP, for chat, beta test things, no advertising and some more
  • Black (introduced more recently) DNF which is 地下城与勇士 in Chinese is a Tencent game which contain PVP[8]

Merchandise

Tencent taken advantage of the popularity of the QQ brand, and have set up many Q-Gen stores selling QQ branded merchandise such as bags, watches, clothing as well as toy penguins.

Controversies and criticisms

QQ has faced many criticisms and controversies. Many users complain QQ provides fewer and fewer free services and an annoying number of ads.

Adware classification

Because of QQ's extensive use of advertisements and processes related to ads, it has been branded as malicious adware by many anti-virus and anti-spyware vendors. [9] [10] [11]

Keyword filtering

On August 2004, QQ Games began filtering keywords such as "钓鱼岛" (Diaoyu Islands) and "保钓" (Movement to protect the Diaoyu Islands). This act caused much controversy and Tencent has since lifted the filter.[12]

Regional control

Currently, the mobile version of QQ is not available to use and download outside Mainland China. Users are only able to use the program through China Mobile or China UniCom networks.

QQ real group name scheme

On July 21 2005, Tencent announced its intention to follow orders set by Shenzhen Police and enforce the requirement of real names for all the administrators and founders of QQ Groups. This caused much controversy on whether it can prevent the spread of pornographic and other indecent messages, or whether it intrudes on one's privacy. However, the difficulty of enforcement made the real name registration optional. [13]

Plagiarism

Tencent QQ has been known to copy its competitors' features.[citation needed] The interface of early version of Tencent messenger was almost identical to ICQ, but as it developed, it started to look more like Windows Live Messenger. The interface of QQ is Luna themed. In addition to interfaces, QQ has also been known to copy code and text from its competitors. For example, one release contained Skype's EULA, allegedly as an April Fools' Day joke.[14]

Resource usage

The resources required to run QQ have increased substantially since it was first released, which has caused some people to turn to third party "lite" versions.

QQ Coin

File:362823625.jpg
A stats display window with all services (icons) turned on and leveling info included.

The QQ coin is a virtual currency used by QQ users to "purchase" QQ related items for their avatar and blog. QQ Coins are obtained either by purchase, one coin for one RMB, or for using the mobile phone service. Due to the popularity of QQ in Chinese young population, QQ coins are now accepted by gradually more and more online stores and gaming sites in exchange for "real" merchandise such as small gifts, and raised the concern of replacing (and thus "inflating") real currency in these transactions. The People's Bank of China, China's central bank, says it is investigating the possibility of cracking down on QQ coin, due to people using QQ Coins in exchange for real world goods.[15] Tencent claims the QQ coin was merely a regular commodity, and thus not a currency. [16]

Modifications

Coral QQ, a modification of Tencent QQ, is a popular add on. While Tencent charges for some services and displays advertisement, Coral QQ, provides free access to some of the services and blocks Tencent's advertisements. In 2006, Tencent filed a copyright lawsuit against Chen Shoufu (aka Soff), the author of Coral QQ, whose redistributing modified Tencent QQ was ruled illegal. Chen then published his modification as a separate add on. On August 16, 2007, Chen was detained again for allegedly making profits off his ad-blocking add on[17]. His case is pending at Shenzhen Nanshan district court.

Open source and cross-platform clients

Using reverse engineering, open source communities have come to understand the QQ protocol better and have implemented client core libraries and user-friendly clients. Most of these clients are cross-platform, so they are usable on operating systems which the official client does not support. However, these implementations have only a subset of the functions of the official client and therefore are more limited in features.

See also

References

  1. ^ Meet China’s Google trouncer - Computing-Indiatimes - Infotech
  2. ^ Naspers Company Profile / Company History
  3. ^ QQ Official Software Center
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ WebQQ[Build23]
  6. ^ QQ for Linux | im.qq.com
  7. ^ 手机QQ2008beta2发布
  8. ^ http://dnf.qq.com/vip/info.htm
  9. ^ Tenebril - Spyware Research Center - Tencent QQ
  10. ^ http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/pest/pest.aspx?id=453083549
  11. ^ Remove Tencent QQ - Spyware / Adware Uninstall Instruction
  12. ^ AsiaMedia :: CHINA: Web users get their ten cents worth despite the censors
  13. ^ 信产部酝酿博客实名制
  14. ^ PCPChina 先锋网-腾讯QQ-愚人节的玩笑？腾讯涉嫌抄袭，QQ2005紧急召回-软件资讯|IT资讯|XP美化|软件皮肤|图标壁纸|Foobar2000
  15. ^ People's Daily Online - Central Bank alert on "virtual money"
  16. ^ Virtual currency requires tough new regulations
  17. ^ Debate Over IM Add-Ons in China - WSJ.com

External links

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