Talk:AIM (software)

Is it worth it to try to keep up with the latest version of AIM, etc.? Yep, I'm trying to keep up on that

Also, It'd be neat to have some info about the history of AIM, including when it started.

Please remember to include four tildes (~) after your comments to identify yourselves. Thesquire 04:37, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Spyware/Adware Controversy

I think it would be wise for someone to mention some of the negative aspects of AIM, for example its adware/spyware that is bundled with all modern versions. I stopped using AIM a few years ago. Ditched it for GAIM (and sometimes Kopete). Can someone who knows what is in it please post some stuff about it? I am aware of the one line "aim is an ad supported im program"; but I don't think that is enough. Many people will read that and never think about it. I believe it is especially important since it is listed on Spyware as a known program that is bundled with spyware. --Elysianfields 21:49, 14 August 2005 (UTC)

yeah it installs like some viewpoint media player or something, and it's slightly annoying to get rid of.

Chat rooms?

I think it might be of note that most of the chat rooms AIM uses are only fraction of what they used to be. Most official channels are filled with bots the simply spam the channel with advertisements and user-created channels (such as the formerly popular anime channel) are either filled with bots that either fill up the room (to the 36 user limit, leaving it off limits to _most_ people) and/or ban people on sight or simply flooded to be unintelligable. --TheSock 22:18, 2005 Jun 21 (UTC)

Malware

I think that something MUST be said in this article about the malware AOL frequently uses AIM to distribute. Any comments? --24.118.77.253 00:39, 15 Mar 2005 (UTC) As of the latest versions, AOL has eliminated the malware i also agree i thing that the teen boys and girls shouldnt be so stupid!! if they want to have sex with someone older, do it with your parents!! or find a boy frind

AIM is not free

AIM is hardly gratis, as it is supported by advertising. For example, here's the ad-space at the top of the AIM 5.5 client:

File:Aimad5.5.jpg

The best way to get around that is to get Trillian. That doesn't have the AOL advertising.

Actually, the best way to get around that is to get Gaim. It doesn't have tha AOL advertising, the bloat, the proprietary code, or the $25.00 fee. I should go to the Trillian page and make sure it's not called "free" either... -T2X 13:47, May 15, 2005 (UTC)

P2X just owned you. He's totally right and it supports more than 3 protocols.

Add a link to obtain a ID

How about to add the link to obtain a FREE AOL ID it is hard to find it for me. Thanks! Added link under AIM Terminology to the first download page, which splits to a direct download or registration

How many users, exactly?

The article has "AIM has 195 million users (January 2003)", but this number seems unrealistically high.

On 3 May 2004, I got a response from AOL giving the following stats:

   AIM: 35 million monthly
   ICQ: 22 million monthly (8 million daily)
   AOL-IM: 13 million monthly

Did the number of users really fall by 160 million users within only one year, or was the original number simply way off the mark to begin with?

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I believe it's likely that "195 million" was the number of 'registered' users(a.k.a. screennames), while the stats AIM gave you are the number of screennames regularly signing on to the service. --ElfWord 16:47, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

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That's probably right. In which case, that "195 million" may as well include people who don't even sign in anymore. If you use anything else which required an AOL screenname, you'd end up in that count. Maybe the article should be changed to list the number of monthly users instead, as that's supposedly the standard statistic for IM usage.

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195 million could also be the amount of downloads, since they've had nearly a 100 versions in the past decade. The most recent statistic (and most realistic) is "more than 40 million"; but that includes ICQ which is now merged (or at least compatible) with the OSCAR protocol. This was ran by Reuters and was a little fact thrown on the bottom of the google IM program article. [1] -Elysianfields 17:11, 30 August 2005 (UTC)

Link Spam?

At what point should we start culling the External Links section for Spam? The list downt here is awfully long, and people keep adding stuff to it. Thesquire 20:22, 6 November 2005 (UTC)

There's no time like the present, I've taken a couple thngs out over the last couple days. I think a examination is probably due. Rx StrangeLove 23:31, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

Like the two links two days ago to a single brand new site, or the four today all by "Binary Inertia"? I agree. I'll see about a proposed list of removals to bring links down to established AIM community resources. Cronus 21:42, 24 January 2006 (UTC)

• The "See Also" section should probably stay, external links are the spam problem. Description tags for this section might also help.
• The official site is obviously fine, and the Online Versions all look quite active and substantial.
• Most "add-ons" are already listed in "See Also". Messenger:Mate should probably be moved up there, leaving AIMFix which is valuable and "IMOff" which is brand new and not so substantial yet (though hopefully will be in the future). I propose getting rid of the add-ons section, leaving AIMFix as a standalone link with a note about virus removal.
• Third-Party clients all work, with only Jabber being out of place. Some are more active than others, but trying to cull that list would probably start a war
• Utility AIM Bots was originally created with three services, only one has survived. DoorManBot should probably have an entry created and be moved to See Also, getting rid of this category
• AIM Bot Creation all seem active except Ultra Hal, which seems to have been made part of a larger bundle with little to do with AIM. I'll probably remove this one unless somebody has more information
• Profile Tools and Extensions is mostly spam. Buddy4u, Buddy Profile, and Subprofile seem to be the only three with substantial use. I couldn't look to much at Subprofile, but it was once THE profile service
• Other is also mostly spam (though not quite "OtherOther" quality). AimFight is already in "See Also". What is left is mostly Icons, Away Messages, and other resources. Iconator seems to be far and away the most popular of the icon sites. None of the away message sites seem particularly substantial (to be fair, I'm not sure who would really want pre-made messages). AIMForum seems questionable, but there are no other forums, so it should probably stay. AIMFilez has not been updated for quite some time (years?) but was once THE AIM file resource, so it should also probably stay. The AIM URLs link is fairly informative and useful, written by the AIM client architect, so I'd also leave that.
• Away Message sites are very popular, and merit being part of the Wiki on AIM. Just because you don't use them doesn't mean 8000 people a day don't. AIM Away Messages is the premier Away Message site.
• Iconator might have the highest Alexa ranking, but Original Icons is the highest quality icon site with the most icons that are made by the webmaster and not copied.

By taking out the spam and moving a couple items into See Also (with brief descriptions) I think this will clean up nicely. Please leave comments. If there are no changes, I'll implement after 4-5 days. --Cronus 23:14, 24 January 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good -- Thesquire (talk - contribs) 23:29, 24 January 2006 (UTC)

I waited 10 days due to slight hosage, but it is done, with two changes from my proposal. I created "Useful Tools" for AIMFix (which needed a home) and DoorManBot (which I was going to create a separate entry for). Really, these two should probably have their own articles, but for now this heading will have to do. I also removed the Third-Party clients which were being duplicated from See Also. AIMutation needed a POV edit and the actual source/installer link added to its article. Things look a bit cleaner now, I can see all External Links on one page in my broswer. I guess this isn't the time to point out that neither the client I use nor another that many people I know use are linked to :-P

Article merge

I have merged the article AIM Closed List into this one. aliceinlampyland 11:05, 1 February 2006 (UTC).

Triton vs. versions before Triton

I would suggest listing the last version of "real AIM" (the last 5.9 version, forget the number becuase I cant stand using it) in addition to the newest "Triton" version. The Triton versions are completely different, and many people I have spoken with refuse to use it and intead use either 5.9 (despite its overly0large im boxes) or 5.5 (for sn linking) or the amazing 5.2.3292 (compromise between intrsive program and using the AIM chat service) version.

5.9 made everything huge and added too much clutter, but it allows imming while away 5.5 allows SN linking, but it also has some clutter 5.2 is pretty much as streamlined as AIM official clients get, but it lacks SN linking and talking while away...

again, while my semi-non-NPOV comments here should most definately not be put into the article, i feel something should also be listed as an offical current alternative to Triton, because Triton is just too intrusive and horrible for most people to tolerate

//MrD9 01:25, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

Triton v Triton Beta

What is the difference between Triton and Triton Beta? Which one is more advanced? I know Triton is in 1.04 (which is what I have), but Triton Beta is in 1.2-soemthing. Which one is newer software, more current and all? --CanesOL79 19:19, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

Comparison to other Instant Messaging Clients

More information about how AIM stacks up against other clients would be nice. After all, AIM is one of the most popular clients, but it lacks a -lot- of features other clients have had. Heck, ICQ had off-line messaging years ago. (I'm not sure if this didn't post the first time or if someone deleted it... I don't know why someone would just delete it from the talk page, though...) Ohemgee 05:34, 20 March 2006 (UTC)