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AOL To Charge for AIM Videoconferences

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the a/s/l dept.

gwoodrow writes "In some of my college computer classes, we discussed the necessity of some sort of profit to be made eventually from major software. AIM was often sited as a rare example of a large company offering up a free service that generated almost no profit whatsoever. Well, that's all changing. It seems that AOL will begin charging for both voice and video conferencing services via the buddy list. Some AIM addicts are surely getting worried that AOL may eventually charge for regular usage."

4 of 371 comments (clear)

  1. Ads by shadowkoder · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Doesn't AIM get some money from advertisers since they get their adds put in front of millions of people? I dunno how much $ this would pull, but I would guess its enough to at least break even? Either way, I could see the justification for the more bandwith intensive parts of AIM being paid for, especially if the bandwith strain on the AOL system increases along with it.

  2. Re:No they wont' charge for AIM by insecuritiez · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Agreed. AOL subscribers need AIM to be free so they can chat with their non-AOL friends. If AOL suddenly started charging for regular text usage and people started leaving the service AOL subscribers would have less incentive to stay with the service either.

  3. Re:Good by MP3Chuck · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As ideal as that would be, you'd probably see a move to MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger before they move to something they've never heard of.

    --
    Who doesn't like free music?
  4. Three things make me think they won't. by geminidomino · · Score: 5, Insightful
    1. MSN Messenger
    2. Yahoo! Messenger
    3. Jabber
    They currently have the Lion's share of the IM Market, but doing something like charging for use would put the kibosh on that REAL quick.