AIM Express - How to use AIM Without Installing

bessonberry

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Introduction
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AIM is a service created and powered by America Online. It stands apart from AOL as a standalone instant messaging service. AIM first peaked in popularity in the 90s and remained popular for many years. It was one of the first, revolutionary social networking services and continues to this day to persevere and remain in use by millions of users.

Who uses AIM in 2013 anyway?
After over a decade of AIM's existance, millions of people still use AIM daily all throughout the world, but mostly in the United States. People put AIM to use in various ways to help them be more efficient with instant messaging and communicating with others. Entire companies employ AIM to increase efficienty in communications throughout their employees and even some people take up the AIM service to freely send and receive text messages via the SMS protocol (aka free texting). AIM clearly stil has many uses to it, and I for one hope this awesome service never dies.

No Installation Required
Many AIM users believe that to access the AIM service, one requires an installation on their operating system. Well to contradict that, to access AIM it isn't absolutely required that you go through the steps and processes of installing AIM on your computer. I'd like to take the time to introduce you to the quick fix that'll get you around this popular yet incorrect belief. And the quick fix is AIM Express.

What is AIM Express
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AIM Express is a web application accessible through whatever web browser you use (it could be google chrome, mozilla firefox, or internet explorer). Just visit a website where you can use AIM express, like this one. On this webpage you'll be able to load up AIM Express from there, and from AIM Express the AIM universe will unfold in front of you.

What options does AIM Express have?
AIM Express is a "toned down" version of the full installation of AOL Instant Messenger. There are a decent number of features that aren't included with the use of AIM Express. These things include chat rooms (although aim blast groups and group chats do work), file transfer, direct connection, audio and video chatting, and a few other features.

What is required to use AIM Express?
A few things that are required for the use of AIM express are javascript, flash, and login for the AIM service. Javascript and flash are commonly installed on computers so that shouldn't be a problem. The default settings for both of these are for them to be enabled, so if you've turned them off or disabled them for some reason, you need them enabled for AIM express to work.

AIM Express Alternatives?
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There are a number of alternative web applications you can use to replace AIM Express. To name a couple off the top of my head, there's AirAIM, Meebo, and eBuddy Messenger. But I'm sure there are plenty of other web AIM clients floating about there on the internet. Most likely they're packaged with other messengers, so feel free to search around for more alternatives not listed.
 
yeah ebuddy's a web chat client that's been around for ages. i remember using it back in the early 2000s, might've been called eMessenger then.
 
yeah aim express has been around for a while. since like 2003 i think, before that there was quick buddy. but i'm glad AOL is still going strong and still supporting AIM express. :)
 
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