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AOL Loses Executive Behind AIM Triton

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

December 2, 2005, 10:13 AM

Chamath Palihapitiya, who took charge of AOL's instant messaging division last year and spearheaded the development of AIM Triton, is leaving the company and plans to join venture capital firm Mayfield Fund next year. AOL has not yet named a successor to fill the position.

Palihapitiya was given control over the largest IM network amid heavy pressure from rivals Microsoft and Yahoo, and inherited a stagnating AIM client. He shifted the focus to promoting AOL content through AIM and turned market share losses into gains. AIM Triton 1.0 launched last week to serve as AOL's new all-in-one communications suite.

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By kedraonline

edited May 22, 2006 - 12:18 AM

Well, all I really have to say is that AIM Triton is a great messaging service. It really isn't that complicated if you can work your way around what seems to be complicated. I enjoy the use of Plaxo and tabbing IMs. It may take up a bit of memory, but why else would you have a computer. Go buy additional memory if it is that much of a problem. I enjoy the luxury of the AIM Triton, and whoever created the new IM service, I give them a ten in all aspects of the messanger. It's all about common sense. I enjoy the AIM Triton. It is going to become soon mandatory that everyone who uses the previous AIM download the Triton. It really isn't as complicated as it looks.

Score: 0

By jon02129

edited May 22, 2006 - 3:39 PM

I also agree with everyone who hates this new version, so much so that i ended up repacking my own version of AIM v5.2.3292 to give to all my friends who upgraded. If anyone else is interested in having (IMO) the simplest, most comfortable Instant Messenging experience, you can download it here:

DeadJAIM v5.2.3292:
http://www.myfilehut.com...eadJAIM%20v5.2.3292.rar

It includes:
1) AOL Instant Messenger v5.2.3292:
-The last good version of AIM.
-No "Games" or malware nonsense!
-Just plain old, no-strings-attached, instant messenging.

2) Extra Features!:
-Tabbed IM windows.
-Logging of conversations.
-Chat while away.
-Cloning (run multiple instances of AIM).
-No ads.
-No useless features.

Note: If you dont already have it, you will need WinRAR to open and extract the contents of the RAR file. Also, to read the .nfo file, open it with Notepad.

I currently have an idea on how to increase the profile size limit to 2kb (like Triton) in this older version, but i dont think i have the expertise needed. If anyone is familiar with resource hacking or program coding, i believe that is what i need to get this done. So please, email me at jon02129 [at] yahoo [dot] com. or IM me at jon02128 if you'd like to help me out.

Thanks! and hope someone out there enjoys it!

ohhh ps: i meant to add to the .nfo/readme that if you rather not have my modified AimRes.dll file (as it may be 'crude' to some), you can simply rename "AimRes_original.dll" to "AimRes.dll" to revert it back to normal.

Any and all comments are welcome.
-jon02129

Score: 0

By K- -PizzLE

edited Jan 5, 2006 - 11:05 PM

AIM Triton is THE worst beta YET! I mean who really needs all the crap that you are forced to install just to use it (such as the browser - i forget what its called...) you cant IM ppl that may be invisible: like being able to bring up IM window and being able to type in ANY s/n.. The 5.X versions were WAY better. Ive told everyone I know to boycott this POS program. It almost makes me want to use MSN or Yahoo. I have yet to find anyone who really likes it. AOL needs to just go back to the esay-to-use versions like before.. I am an expert at computing and I have found that all of AOL programs (which there are many of..) are for really computer impaired people. I can just about figure any program out with in a few hours.. it took me around 10 minutes to figure out that this beta SUCKS. The only thing nice about it is that 1 its free and 2 it looks slightly better than the 5.X versions, even though you are WAY limited in the things you can customize. The one of the top five reasons for AIM Triton is LAME is the fact that you cannot name all your cellular contacts... you have to remember whos who. ahh and having just about ALL of your friends on cellphones makes that task a difficult one at best. DONT DOWNLOAD THIS PROGRAM ITS THE WORST BETA EVER in the HISTORY OF IMing... AHH waste of brain cells just to have to put up with all the extra crap that comes with it...

Score: 0

By chriscollier

posted Dec 4, 2005 - 3:33 AM

if you consider it "bloatware" then go and get the Aim Ad-Hack version of it...then tell us what you think about the program itself. I myself tend to like most of the features and the interface is 10 fold better than the 5.x and older versions. The only major thing i would like to see (re)added in the program though is a "Get File" feature like they had in all previous versions i have had and used

Score: 0

By treworld

posted Dec 3, 2005 - 11:37 PM

Thank Buddha, AIM TRITON really sucks. Froze my computer and I have a ASUS P4 3.2 HT computer.

Score: 0

By chriscollier

posted Dec 4, 2005 - 3:17 AM

just because you have an "ASUS P4 3.2 HT computer" doesn't mean you excused from crashes or any other computer mishaps for that matter...those specs you provided don't prove anything by themselves...Try to find the real reason it froze your computer and post that on here...maybe you could actually help someone or at least make a valid point

Score: 0

By areyouin014

edited Dec 2, 2005 - 5:34 PM

All I have to say is, good riddance. AIM Triton sucks! I haven't found anyone that likes it yet...

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Dec 3, 2005 - 10:57 AM

You just found someone who likes it. I've beta tested it and I love it. Tell us here in this little community why it is that you think it sucks and give yourself some credibility.

Score: 0

By jsc315

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 2:26 PM

just go woth yahoo. it's just about perfect. AOL has no idea what there doing. AIM was all that was decent with AOL. Sad to see they screwed that up too.

Score: 0

By chriscollier

posted Dec 4, 2005 - 3:34 AM

I'm sure the millions of AOL users that pay 20 plus dollars a month would beg to differ with that comment...just a thought

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 12:51 PM

SKYPE AHOY!

Score: 0

By DigitalSin

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 12:11 PM

When will AOL realize that most people don't want a "communications suite". They want a nice IM program that does exactly what it's supposed to. Nothing more. Same with the web browser. Why do I need a web browser that has a built in HTML editor that is sub par. Why does it need integration with an IM application. Why does it need to sit in my system tray? It's bloatware and this is what AOL is good at

Score: 0

By maniakmx3

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 12:26 PM

AOL Just needs to go out of business...

Score: 0

By joesnow

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:48 AM

make the old AIM open source ;-p, since it's "obsolete" now right?

Score: 0

By bangbang023

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:49 AM

No, AIM 5.x is still the official Windows 9x product from AOL.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:35 AM

Sue him! Its the American Way!

Score: 0

By chriscollier

posted Dec 4, 2005 - 3:28 AM

tell me...what exactly are they going to sue him over? I'm almost 100% sure he probably signed a nocompete clause somewhere in his contract...and well Mayfield Fund is a venture capital firm like stated above, so probably not much competition in the form of software development there...so what grounds would AOL have to sue him? explain...

Score: 0

By ServerMechanic

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:24 AM

Triton sucks anyway. Worst IM software ever.

I would rather use two tin cans and a string to talk to someone.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:37 AM

You can't use tin anymore, they are aluminum alloy's..

And its "nylon" instead of string now...

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 12:51 PM

Score: 0

By maniakmx3

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 12:24 PM

LOL

Score: 0

By maniakmx3

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 10:30 AM

Sound familliar? Sega Dreamcast anyone?

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:36 AM

Yeah that does sound familiar...

Score: 0

By maniakmx3

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 10:37 AM

For those of you that don't know, The Sega President Bernie Stolar quit right before the dreamcast launched.

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 10:31 AM

0.0

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 10:26 AM

HA!

Score: 0

By Mike162005

posted Dec 2, 2005 - 11:59 PM

LOL... OOPS!

Score: 0

By JDShoeShiner

edited Dec 19, 2005 - 2:47 AM

Here are my reasons for not liking AIM Triton:

1. No homemade buddy icons... you have to use one from the AOL buddy icon site

2. no background window color-- only a text highlight color

3. It seems like your profile limit is even shorter in Triton... maybe they just fixed the glitch where if you copied and pasted just right it would let you go over

4. Too complicated, too much in each window-- why do i need a search bar on every IM window? (even though it is removable)

5. Completely new menus etc.-- after getting 1.0 in like 5th grade, I'm used to how it works. Now all the settings and preferences are on different windows

6. The smileys look stupid-- enough said.

Score: 0