# The brand-spankin'-new AIM/AOL thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 5, 2002, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424 "2002-08-05T13:13:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/101 "2002-08-13T17:38:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lyra \* > \*\*IRL I talk alot, and here at home I practically live in the computer room. \*\* **Hah**! I’m not the only one who practically lives in the computer room! In fact, substitute “at my brother’s house” for “here at home,” and you’d have a pretty accurate description of what I do there. Heck, my sister even said that it didn’t really count if I was in the computer room, and she was the only one in the house… she considers it being home alone. (but that’s another story altogether…) As for talking a lot in real life… I do that sometimes, despite what the Dopers who have met me in real life might think. 😃 F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Lyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Lyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyra)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/102 "2002-08-13T22:34:59Z")
:::waves to dantheman:::: Boy, I wish I had gone to a Dopefest or something first to help me put names with the faces. This can get _real_ confusing!!! ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/103 "2002-08-13T23:20:29Z")
Do more people use AIM? I know no-one with AIM, eveyone has ICQ, some have IM. I guess fewer people use AOL outside of America. Anyway, ICQ: 65135362 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/104 "2002-08-14T00:02:32Z")
Aren’t AIM and IM the same thing? Or do I use the wrong terms? ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/105 "2002-08-14T17:20:19Z")
OK - I think I’ve got everyone here on my buddy list which makes 69 of you!! I’m thinking the next chat we have will be quite an interesting one. (not that the last one wasn’t ;)) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/106 "2002-08-14T17:32:21Z")
**FCM** , **flapcats** might be referring to MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger. ---
**Author:** ![endswithani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@endswithani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/endswithani)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/107 "2002-08-14T21:38:08Z")
Lurker checking in! AIM: **jerricurrl** MSN Messenger: **jerricurrl** ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/108 "2002-08-16T05:33:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > \*\*Aren’t AIM and IM the same thing? Or do I use the wrong terms? \*\* IM is the program that aol subscribers use to send instant messages. AIM is the free program that AOL offers to non-subscribers (for who knows what reason) to send instant messages. People with one can readily talk to people with the other. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/109 "2002-08-16T10:46:29Z")
Thanks, **elfkin** - now I know… And whoever sent me a chat invite - I wasn’t being anti-social - I was talking to my husband. He takes priority. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ems](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@ems](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ems)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/110 "2002-08-16T11:08:21Z")
I now have AIM as well (although it won’t let me sign on at the moment…) I am emmainnorway ems ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/111 "2002-08-16T11:41:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > \*\* > > IM is the program that aol subscribers use to send instant messages. > AIM is the free program that AOL offers to non-subscribers (for who knows what reason) to send instant messages. > \*\* I’ve never heard it referred to as “IM”; I always heard people simply say they were “on AOL.” ---
**Author:** ![hillbilly\_king](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7993a0/32.png) [@hillbilly\_king](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hillbilly_king)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424/112 "2002-08-16T15:06:01Z")
Oh well, what the heck AIM = **HB King James** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-brand-spankin-new-aim-aol-thread/122424.md?page=5)