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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."

22 of 371 comments (clear)

  1. No they wont' charge for AIM by jkeyes · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why charge for AIM when you can slowly put ads on the AIM conversation windows ala ICQ.

    1. Re:No they wont' charge for AIM by crazyray · · Score: 5, Interesting

      ...and what makes you think they wouldn't do both?

    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:No they wont' charge for AIM by Murdock037 · · Score: 5, Funny
      I don't think anyone would actually pay to then be shown ads, at least anyone with some sense.

      Says AOL to itself:

      Gee, where are we going to find an immense subscriber base with lots of money and little sense?

      Where, dammit, WHERE?
    4. Re:No they wont' charge for AIM by Moofie · · Score: 5, Interesting

      *raises hand* Yep.

      I hate those damn commercials. So far, they haven't totally eroded my desire to go to the movie theater, but they're on track to do just that.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    5. Re:No they wont' charge for AIM by Brissie_lad · · Score: 5, Interesting

      We've had 10 to 20min of ads before the feature at Australian movie theaters for as long as I've been going to the movies - and thats a good 25+ years.

      --
      Slackware - because apt is for the lazy.
    6. Re:No they wont' charge for AIM by Eastree · · Score: 5, Informative
      I suppose the breaking point will be when they put a commercial break in the middle of the movie and call it "intermission".


      This is already happening in many countries. While I was in Turkey, every movie was preceded by cellular sevice commercials, hair care products, beer, cigarettes, and the usual movie previews. Then the middle of the movie was punctuated by intermission. There were no commercials, but static ads. It's only a matter of time before that idea leaks to more parts of the worls.
  2. I don't want videoconferencing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I like working at home in the nude, but that's not something other people need to be exposed to!

    1. Re:I don't want videoconferencing by YouHaveSnail · · Score: 5, Funny

      I like working at home in the nude, but that's not something other people need to be exposed to!

      Sadly, it's now too late.

    2. Re:I don't want videoconferencing by magefile · · Score: 5, Funny

      20% informative? Isn't that *over*-informative?

  3. Hmmm... by Lobo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I wonder what this means for iChat?

    Just AOL IM or all using the protocol?

    --

    -------
    Bite Me Fanboy!!
    1. Re:Hmmm... by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Right now it means NOTHING.... everyone is jumping to conclusions instead of RTFA'ing (shrug, I feel new here).

      They are taking services from two other providers (I've used WebEx, it's a decent web conference) and allowing them to initiate a voice and/or web conference (multiple particpants). This is a new service for AOL and does not effect a one on one conversation or video conference in any way.

    2. Re:Hmmm... by kantai · · Score: 5, Funny

      instead of RTFA'ing

      Oh god, how that makes me laugh, that's hilarious....

    3. Re:Hmmm... by jokell82 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Uh, wrong. You can video chat between AIM and iChat, it's just audio that doesn't work right now...

      According to http://www.apple.com/ichat, iChat AV 2.1 supports videoconferencing with the new AOL Instant Messenger 5.5 for Windows, giving you immediate access to the millions of people in both the Mac and PC communities.

      --
      I dunno who it is
      but it prolly is fhqwhgads.
  4. To avoid being charged... by skraps · · Score: 5, Funny

    To avoid being charged, forward this message to everyone on your contact list! AOL will keep track of how many people forward this and if enough of us do, then they will be forced to keep AIM free! Thanks!

    --
    Karma: -2147483648 (Mostly affected by integer overflow)
  5. 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.

  6. Web Business Strategy by arlandbayes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Step 1: Offer the service for free initially.
    Step 2: Get the customers hooked.
    Step 3: Milk the customers.
    I wonder if this business strategy has been patented yet.

    1. Re:Web Business Strategy by ThatsNotFunny · · Score: 5, Funny

      I wonder if this business strategy has been patented yet

      Yes. By my drug dealer.

      --
      "Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine No Posessions?'" -- Elvis Costello
  7. RTFA, as usual by (startx) · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article doesn't say anything about charging for video. AOL is introducing a conference call service (like a group chat, only for voice) that they will be charging money for. Now they say you'll be able to integrate video with these conference calls, which sounds cool, but nothing users can currently do free will now cost money

  8. 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?
  9. Re:Charge for normal AIM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    streaming XML isn't the best choice for video conferencing.

    D00d, what are you talking about?!

    <movie>
    <pixel>
    <red>231</red>
    <green>128</green>
    <blue>37</blue>
    </pixel>
    ...
  10. 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.