AIM and a Half - Give your AIM a Little More

Buttons, ads, big long menus, pictures are everywhere and they’re slowing down your AOL Instant Messenger. What is there to do? Add-ons for AIM just add things to your AIM. Aliasing, tabbed IM windows, etc. But what do you do about all of those things that are slowing down your AIM? There may be a solution. 

AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) is an instant messenger program that lets you talk to people all around the world - for free. Making a free utility like this comes with some cost. AIM throws ads onto the top of your buddy list, useless buttons everywhere even though there’s already 3 ways you can get to the same place, just as easily. As each version of AIM comes out, the more your AIM is loaded with extra things like this. 

Now, there’s a new program titled AIM ½. It gets rid of ads, those buttons on the bottom of the buddy list, shortens all of the menus to only what you need. It gets rid of all of those buttons in IM windows (warning, games, etc), it gives you more practical sign-on, sign-off, and away symbols on your buddy list. It gives you the ability to resize your buddy list to ANY size. And it does little things like easier to use away message windows, profile windows, and more.

And of course, the newest feature: skinning. 

Skinning allows you to change the look of your AIM by letting you choose the theme of your sign-on screen, buddy list background, sign-on, sign-off, away symbols, and the popup notifications. Currently, there are five skinning themes available: XP, Beach, Everyone Loves Raymond, and Music. You can change your theme with the click of a button in your buddy list menu or on the AIM ½ site. 

 To prove the effectiveness of AIM ½, I put it to a test. I downloaded the original aimres.dll for 5.5.3595. I timed how long it took for AIM to load up after I double clicked the AIM button. It took 10 seconds until it was fully ready for use on my COX High Speed connection. Then I downloaded AIM ½. It took (no joke) 2 ½ seconds. A little difference? That little difference also effects how long it will take for IM windows to load after you double click them, and everything you do on AIM and the internet while your instant messenger is open.