messaging
ICQ vs Slack
ICQ started first, in 1996, 17 years before Slack.
Why ICQ lasted
- The number. People still remember their ICQ UIN the way they remember a first phone number.
- Mail.ru / VK kept it on life support for markets where it still meant something.
Why Slack lasted
- It turned IRC-for-work into a company default and made search across chat a reason to stay.
- Salesforce bought it and the login did not vanish, which is the adult form of surviving.
Questions
Which is older, ICQ or Slack?
ICQ started first, in 1996, 17 years before Slack.
How long has ICQ been running?
ICQ has been up 29 years 306 days, since 1996-11-15.
How long has Slack been running?
Slack has been up 13 years 34 days, since 2013-08-14.
More messaging comparisons
same category
Discord vs ICQDiscord vs SignalDiscord vs SkypeDiscord vs SlackDiscord vs TelegramDiscord vs WhatsApp
Dates are founding dates from the written entries. Play which is older, or see the oldest messaging still running.