Advice needed on instant message service

[Jim_Rogers]

I need to download a new instant message service.
Today I looked at the new AIM at aol and it says you have to be a member, and I'm not.
I would like to find one where I can get the service without paying anything for it.
Do know which one will allow me to use the service and not have to pay for it?
Thanks.
Jim Rogers

PS. this will be used outside of the FF.

[Radar67]

MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger are free. You have to set up a free email account with them. (Hotmail and Yahoo Mail). I use MSN a good bit for college teams online. I like it better than Yahoo.

Stew

[Dan_Shade]

you have to be a member to get AIM now?  hmm, that's strange...

I use AIM, MSN, and Yahoo. they all have their strong points.  it's nice and convenient to have any sort of instant messaging.

[Paschale]

I'm partial to Yahoo, but they all work just fine I think.

[crtreedude]

One thing that is pretty nice is GAIM. It is client for the instant messengers so you can have them all in one client. Without the advertizing!

From the About screen:

Gaim is a modular messaging client capable of using AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Jabber, ICQ, IRC, SILC, Novell GroupWise, Napster, Zephyr, and Gadu-Gadu all at once.  It is written using Gtk+ and is licensed under the GPL.

URL: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/

[farmerdoug]

My friends use AIM and they are not members.  I would check again.

Farmerdoug

[crtreedude]

Just checked http://www.aim.com/ The Screen Name is free.

And so is the AIM client.

[SwampDonkey]

Jabberwocky

Sorry guys, wrong OS. ;)

[etat]

if you get Yahoo instant messanger and go buy one of them cheap little microphone and ear things not only can you send instand messages you can do voice and talk instead of typing.   It's like free calls anywhere in the world.  You can start a conference with IM and talk to a bunch of people at the same time too. 

[Jim_Rogers]

Well, about AIM being free, it says when you read the "agreement" that you have to "accept" in order to use the program that you have to be a aol user, unless I mis-understood the "agreement".
I selected "disagree" as I didn't want to agree to pay for anything.
I'll look at it again.....
Thanks for all your advice.

Jim Rogers

[Radar67]

Jim, where are you downloading AIM from? There is a version for non AOL users that is free. You can go to http://www.download.com/AOL-Instant-Messenger-AIM-/3000-2150_4-10316798.html?tag=lst-0-4 and download the correct version.

Stew

[jon12345]

THERE ARE A LOT OF VIRUSES ON AIM, IF YOU USE AIM AND A LINK IS SENT TO YOU WITHOUT SOMEONE TELLING YOU THEY ARE SENDING IT, DO NOT CLICK ON IT

ALSO AVOID CLICKING ON LINKS IN AIM PROFILES, UNLESS YOU ASK THE OWNER IF IT IS REAL.

[Jim_Rogers]

Radar67:
That wasn't where I was downloading it from.
Thanks for that link.
jon1234:
I understand about those viruses things.
I will be using this with one timber framing friend at a time, so hopefully we don't have any virus problems.
Jim Rogers