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AIM (AOL Instant Messenger)
AOL Instant Messenger 4.7 (AIM) is the only outside IM link
to AOL or CompuServe members. The ability to talk to AOL
subscribers has fueled the popularity of AIM, since it's a
free download available to everyone.
AOL members can also use AIM to send instant messages
without having to sign on to the AOL service.
Features
Anyone familiar with AOL will see the similarities AIM
shares with AOL's own Buddy List and Instant Messaging
service. However, where AOL's Instant Messaging acts as a
valuable feature in its online service, AIM has been built
to stand on its own. Thus, it's been souped-up with many
features like the stock ticker, file transfer, chat rooms,
and built-in e-mail client.
AIM Quick Buddy is another great feature that lets you send
instant messages through a browser, so you can access your
AIM account through any Internet-enabled computer. If you
have a personal web page, you can easily add interactivity
by using AIM remote, which allows people to IM you directly
from the web site.
You can also use "Away Notices" to explain your absence from
the computer.
Buddy List
One of the best features of AIM, the Buddy List lets you
organize your online friends into easy groups like "Work",
"Family", etc. To group your online buddies, just hit the
List Setup tab to get started. You can add a new group or
start populating the default groups by hitting the Add a
Buddy button at the bottom. You can always re-organize later
by easily moving buddies to new groups.
Sending & Receiving Instant Messages
Use the Buddy List to easily send IMs. Just double-click on
the user's name and an instant message box will appear. You
can also customize your IMs with a buddy icon, create your
own chat rooms, or talk with multiple AIM users in one
window.
The Good and the Bad
The good: AIM's attractiveness lies in the IM bridge it
creates between AOL and non-AOL members. The only way
non-members can communicate with the more than 34 million
AOL subscribers is by using AIM.
The bad: It automatically launches when you start up your
computer. For some, this may be a good thing, but others may
prefer to open up applications at a time of their choosing.
AIM also lacks some of ICQ's useful features like leaving a
message; requiring authorization for someone to add you to
their buddy list; or rendering your online presence
"invisible" to people you'd prefer to hide from.
Getting Started With AIM
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Download the AIM Client at http://www.aol.ca/aim/index_eng.adp.
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Sign
up for an AIM account, or use your existing AOL, Netscape,
CompuServe 2000, AOL Hometown, or AOL.com's Personal
Finance Centre account.
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Open
the AIM client and enter your screen name & password.
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To
send an instant message, double-click on a screen name in
your buddy list. Type in your message. Click "Send".
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To
sign off, click on "My AIM" and then click "Sign Off".
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