OK, by some strange conspiracy of keystrokes or just by sheer Windows anarchy my Outlook Express shortcuts all also open my AIM at the same time. How the hell could this happen, and why? More importantl, how do I get rid of it?
I uninstalled AIM and reinstalled it thinking whatever was linking the two would be broken, but it’s still doing it. I don;t want to uninstall Outlook since it’s a hassle, and there must be a better way for me to fix it. Ideas?
Thanx.
I have the same problem and have been unable to find a solution online. I know that AIM’s newest version is definitely in bed with Outlook and your friends list is there also. I have been trying diligently to find some way to break the link between them since I upgraded my AIM with no luck. Uninstalling Outlook and then re-installing will not help either.
Well that sucks royally. I wasn’t aware that Outlook and AIM were in bed (considering the Netscape/Time Warner/AIM relationship its actually suprising) and as such discounted the AIM upgrade as the culprit.
Let me know if you come up with anything.
I got rid of it by doing this: In AIM, go to My AIM->Edit Options->Edit Preferences->Sign On/Off. Uncheck the box that says “Make AIM my default instant messaging program.”
I’ll be damned, that fixed it. Can’t understand why that would be the fix, and how “default messaging” somehow insinuates that it should open along with Outlook Express.
Wonder who I should bitch about, AOL/Netscape or Microsoft. Either way I’m probably safe.
Its Microsofts fault.
When outlook kicks in it looks for an excuse to open up other microsoft products - including the microsoft instant messenger program.
It can’t just deliberately open it - because that would open up a whole world of pain for microsoft (accusations of monopolistic practices etc. etc.)
BUT
it can open up the default messenger program - because then its just being “helpful” not evilly and cynically promoting a product by its parent Evil Empire.
Of course when people buy a new computer with windows installed the “default” messenger program just happens to be the microsoft one. Funny that. 
Anyway - when you install the aol messenger it makes itself the default messenger program instead of microsoft messenger so when Outlook goes to open it (with out realising it) finds its self evilly and cynically promoting a product by a rival Evil Empire.
In the words of Homer…
D’Oh!
Yes M$ in XP will automatically start M$ messenger when you start OE or O. If you select AIM as your default then it will start up.
very annoying for both in my humble O
yeah sorry - that should have read “wndows xp” in my above post, not just windows. i shouldn’t type faster than i think
The fix for stopping the MSN/OE nuptials was oddball, too, not just unchecking a “default message program” box - it involved the OE Contacts List, of all things.
I guess the M$ answer to that would be:
“Hey - we said we’d make it so you could change your default - we didn’t say we’d make it obvious or easy!”
garius, thanks for the explaination. Makes perfect sense. Sometimes those fuckers shock me.
I would highly recommend Trillian.
www.trillian.cc
A free program that does AIM/ICQ/MSN/Yahoo/IRC in one compact non-incestuous program. You lose the “special” features of the various clients, but if you just want basic messaging, its a great program to use.
There’s an option in outlook, under tools -> options. There’s a checkbox that says Automatically Logon to Aol Instant Messenger or something to that effect. Uncheck it.
Um, Moo…care to elaborate on where exactly that would be? Tools > Options opens a window with about 9 tabs, and I see that option no where.
It’s right under general… I use outlook express if that helps.