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If only someone would code this idea.

Most important for any service that Google provides that makes it out of beta is revenue generation. If it doesn't make money, there is no need to pour cash and brainpower in to develop it. So, how would Google make money? I see three posibilities. First would be to use the standard model of banner ads that infest the tops of AIM. Second would be to sell the product, like DeadAim http://www.jdennis.net/ or Trillian Pro http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/. Both of these solutions are not typical of Google products. The last option would be for contextual ads, like in GMail. This is an option that would be very server intensive (real time ad generation) and creepy, as Google would be reading all the messages that go in and out. So, in summation, instant messaging does not seem to be a market that appeals to the core of Google's buisness plan. Changes may arise, but all in all, this seems like a venture that Google would stay out of.

AOL needs to first convince me that they won't fill my mailbox with ads like they do my AIM client. And I don't want to pay for the once-free DeadAIM.

Is it me or does loading gaim screw up people's buddylist? By screwing up, I'm referring more to the order of the buddies, than actually removing buddies.

I've stayed far far away after using it several times and it always happens.

On the other hand, plugins for tabbed messaging and logging already exist. AOL just likes to "upgrade" whenever such a plugin exist and breaks the plugin. I think many of them have just given up seeing that there's a lack of motiviation recently since none of the aim patches support the latest version.

The aim patches I know about include:
* DeadAIM
* middle_man
* AIM+

Also DeadAIM is an AIM add-on that lets you make any AIM windows or your buddy list translucent. Even has a sliding scale to give the windows any level of opacity you want.

Get DeadAIM. It addresses nearly all of your complaints.
Except for the sounds, and you can turn those off by yourself. :P

Ahh .. hadn't considered that. I'm using DeadAIM, which removes ads from AIM, but it still must be downloading the audio component. Maybe they'll fix that in the next version...

aim+ & deadaim - both remove the ads from the official aim client. i have found that i like dead aim better (but it isn't free, a measily $4 or something like that) than aim+.

Every other client logs except AIM... DeadAIM, AIM+, MyIM

Problem solved.

I use DeadAIM to get around the logging limitation. It auto-logs all messages, plus window transparency, plus ad removal. It's very nice. Unfortunately, the author has started charging for downloads, but you can still find free copies elsewhere on the net.

As for leaving someone a message when they are offline, USE EMAIL. Seriously, why someone would want to use an IM client for this somewhat confuses me. However, if you still want to do this AIM has you covered. Send a message to either MessageServer or AIMOfflineB2 and they will deliver the message to a recipient of your choice as soon as said recipient comes online.

Both of those points are rather moot though. I use AIM because everyone else uses it. That's the only real reason. If everyone else used ICQ, MSN, or anything else, that's what I would use.

Look for a program called DeadAim. It replaces the AIM binary, works fine and removes all the banner ads. You can find it here

SealBeater