RSSAOL Refocuses AIM on Web Content
By Ed Oswald | Published August 17, 2005, 2:58 PM
America Online launched a new version of the AOL Instant Messenger Web site and a revamped AIM Today screen on Wednesday, focusing on making more of AOL's content easily accessible to the company's AIM users.
AOL has also begun to roll out a new version of AIM 5.9 that notably adds AOL Explorer as part of the download. The IE-based browser features tabs and easy access to AOL services including the new aol.com and AIM Mail without taking over the user's default browser.
When installed, AOL Explorer also replaces the standard AIM Today with a more functional window.
"AIM and AIM Mail users are incredibly connected and like to multi-task," Chamath Palihapitiya, vice president of AIM and ICQ said in prepared remarks. The moves are part of an ongoing shift at AOL to open its content and services to users that are not full-fledged AOL members, such as its IM users.
The new AIM Web site will allow visitors to download desktop and mobile versions the software, as well as beta test AOL's new Triton IM client. Access to AIM Mail, Games, and the company's new blogging AIM Blogs service will also be accessible from the site.
AIM Today's new look will feature more content from AOL and its third-party providers, enhanced search functions, and a feature that will highlight popular subjects on the Internet and across the "blogosphere."
More exposed content also means more advertising for AOL, which is courting companies to showcase their products and services on AIM Today and AIM.com. Facing declining subscriber numbers, AOL has turned to the resurgent Web advertising market for new sources of income.
bloated software ... size far beyond that which it needs to be... poor performance use trillian
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|Okay, the facts are:
- obviously you haven't installed AIM lately.
- even without AIM Adhack you have the choice to install SOME of the bloatware or not.
- The other clients cut down on all the options you have within the AIM client. (SSL certificate to secure File/Chat/IM, live video and others.)
- AIM is a free client, so they broke people can still communicate with AOL users. All the features AIM offers is so the FREE users can still perform a lot of the tasks AOL users can. So, if you don't like the advertising, etc from AIM, then purcahse an AOL account.
My point is, anyone that is smart enough to say, "hey I dont want this bloatware" and can find another 3rd party client, is smart enough to see the AIM adhack as well or purchase an AOL account.
Jump off the bus of people that complain about AIM, even though you haven't used it for sometime. And please understand, you have complete control of AIM as far as what is being installed. If someone is too stupid to do that, then they already have more bloatware/spyware on their system then they know what to do with!
Yahoo?! lol.
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|"So, if you don't like the advertising, etc from AIM, then purcahse an AOL account."
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And view just as many, if not more, ads in the AOL software as you would with AIM. For a service that costs more then most other methods to get online, there are an awful lot of ads present on your screen.
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|AOL should focus on Yahoo Messenger...because it is totally beating AIMS ass.
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|The fact is that the average user has no clue about AdHack, and will simply install AIM with the default options, trusting that since it comes from a "reputable" company, that it is safe to do so.
The fact that most users don't do custom installs to de-select the useless garbage that is installed with AIM, by no means makes it acceptable for AOL to include it in their programs, with full knowledge of the fact that users will unknowingly install it - be it from stupidity or not.
They are abusing the trust of the users who expect not to be laden with useless crap when they install a simple IM program.
It's as simple as that.
If you want to blame it all on the users and negate their complaints, simply because you happen to know more about computers than the majority of the computer-using public... then I'd suggest you do a little reading on the subject of superiority complexes.
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|Same sad complaint. If your smart enough to know you don't want the bloated version of AIM, your smart enough to install AIM without any of the jumk.
Aim AdHack , gives you full control of what is installed and what you see when you login.
The choice is yours, stop blaming AIM.
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|"Aim AdHack , gives you"...
So you mean install a hack to the program to change it to take out extra bloat. Do you see the error you made in saying that?
It's still AIM's fault, you just get around it by changing how their client works instead of using a different client to access the network.
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|I want a simple IM client, not a bunch of bloated crap. One of the many reasons I use a non AOL client to get on the AOL IM network.
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