AIM

AIM is shorthand for AOL* Instant Messanger. AIM allows user to communicate instantly using text to their 'buddies' around the world, provided they have the AIM software [which can be found at htttp://www.aim.com]. For those people new to the internet who don't have any buddies AIM has 100million users. It is 'easy' to locate these users by visiting the many chatrooms that AOL has set up soley for that purposes; chat topics range from N*Sync to Current Affairs. AOL also has a member directory, where AIM users can locate others online who share their intrests.

Recent versions of AIM have no only include person-to-person text messaging, and chatroom test messaging, but the ability to share files peer-to-peer with your buddies [unlike Napster, and other peer-to-peer software, there is no directory of files, you only transfer files to one another as one would in an email], and to play games against one another [currently only avalible to Windows users]. All of your buddies are stored on AOL's servers, so you can talk to your buddies from any computer with internet access, provided you have the software, or even--- for those unwilling to download the software--- a computer that supports Java, thanks to AIM Express, a pop-up window in your browser that allows the basic functions of person-to-person text messaging.

The software is free, and is avalible for Windows, Mac, Linux, Windows CE, Palm and AIM Express is avalible, again for free, to anyone with a Java enabled browser.

To download AIM, or find out more information go to http://www.aim.com

• AOL is an abbreviation for America Online, which is one of the world's largest internet service providers (ISP).