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One of the key lessons of the connected age is that productivity climbs in proportion to our level of communication. Your company already has an internal phone system and e-mail. But if you want your employees to be able to respond to workgroup needs on the spot, instant messaging could be just the ticket.

Several instant-messaging programs are out there, but one that gives you more is WiredRed's E/pop 2.0--a real-time communication and collaboration tool for company intranets and LANs, with extras that put it far above chat applications. The program provides users and network managers with a multitude of communication and remote-control administration options previously unavailable in a single product.

Like Internet chat favorite ICQ, E/pop gives you instant messaging for individuals and groups, with pop-up messages, user status indicators, file transfer support, and the ability to create buddy lists. But it also lets you share applications over the network and gives administrators some timesaving remote-control capabilities. Moreover, the client-side-only application, which works on NetWare- and Windows-based networks, doesn't require additional server hardware to operate--making it quick and easy to implement. Aside from a big appetite for system resources, E/pop proved to be a strong performer.

Fast, but Hungry

I have an affinity for applications that install easily, don't require a lengthy learning process, and run unobtrusively. In my tests, I found that E/pop meets two out of the three criteria. Installation was a snap, and the resulting application runs in a familiar window, reminiscent of Microsoft Outlook.

But the version I tested seemed to consume an inordinate amount of resources--in multiple tests on different workstations, running E/pop resulted depleted system resources more than 10 percent. Since you need to keep E/pop running constantly to benefit from its instant-messaging functions, this might become a problem if you like to have a number of applications running simultaneously. To keep the program from excessively depleting resources, WiredRed advises against opening multiple E/pop sessions.

Its hunger for system resources aside, E/pop proved to be truly outstanding at providing real-time communications. The program loads quickly and sends messages instantly to other users--much faster than Microsoft Exchange, for example. It also puts directory and communication capabilities in one place: You don't need to know a recipient's name to send a message, since E/pop uses the server domain to identify entities on the network by individual, group, server, organization, and other criteria. Users that don't want to be too available can invoke a variety of status codes--such as Privacy, On the Phone, and Out to Lunch--that let other users know they're not open to joining a chat or responding to messages.