Getting Started with AIM . . . 


AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM) is a quick and easy way to instantly communicate with friends and colleagues online. AIM has become an unofficial requirement for many online curriculums due to its versatility and price tag (free). With this in mind, we are presenting this tutorial to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to use some of AIM's most important functions:
 

  • Signing On 
  • Signing Off 
  • Adding a Buddy 
  • Removing a Buddy
  • Sending an Instant Message 
  • Hosting a Chat 
  • Sharing Files

Once complete, you will be able to perform each of these tasks with ease. If you have not done so already, please download and install the AIM program. You may access the download site by clicking here.

If you have downloaded and installed the AIM program, you may proceed to the first lesson. **Note: In order for AIM to function, you must be online. 

For answers to most frequently asked questions, click here.

[Prepared by Crystal Colfer, Chris English, Kara Sizemore, Travis Williams in English 6715, Fall 2001. Because of the date that these instructions were prepared, you'll find the screen shots below differ from what you'll see with the most recent version of AOL-AIM. However, the gist of what is do is still operational. If you wish, you can use the help provided with the most recent version of this software.]

     Signing On . . . 
    1.Start the AIM program by double clicking on the AIM icon located either on your desktop or on the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. 

    2.Select the screen name you wish to sign on with by using the pull-down menu located in the first field of the Sign On screen. 

    3.Type your password in the second field located on the Sign On screen. 

    4.Click on the Sign On icon. 


Now, we will take a look at the method used to disconnect from the AIM. 

     Signing Off . . . 
    1. Left click on My AIM, at the top of the AIM window. This will open a drop-down menu. 

    2. Left click on Sign Off, at the end of the list. 

    3. When prompted "Are you sure you want to end your session," left click on Yes. 


In order to send an Instant Message to a buddy, you need to know if they are online or not. You can see if your buddy is online by adding them to your Buddy List. This next lesson will teach you how to add a buddy, but first you need to sign on again. 

     Adding a Buddy . . . 
    1. Click the "List Setup" tab on the buddy list window. 

    2. Click the group to which you wish to add your buddy. 

    3. Click the "Add Buddy" icon on the lower left portion of the window, symbolized by a single yellow "buddy" with a plus sign. 

    4. Once the "New Buddy" window opens, type in the buddy name you wish to add. 

    5. Press enter on your keyboard to complete the process.


What if your buddy's screen name changes? We've just learned how to add a new name, but what about the old one? This next lesson will show you how to remove a buddy's name. 

     Removing a Buddy . . . 
    1. Click the "List Setup" tab on the buddy list window. 

    2. Click the buddy name you wish to delete (the name will be highlighted in yellow). 

    3. Click the "Delete Item" icon on the lower portion of the window, symbolized by a single red "buddy" with a minus sign. 

    4. The buddy name is instantly removed from your list. 


Now that we have learned how to add and remove names from the Buddy List, we can send an Instant Message! 

     Instant Messaging . . . 
    1. Confirm that the buddy you wish to IM is online by locating the buddy name on the "Online" tab of your buddy list window. 

    2. Click the buddy name you wish to IM (the name will be highlighted in yellow). 

    3. Click the "Send Instant Message" icon located on the lower left portion of the window, symbolized by a single yellow "buddy" with a dialog bubble. (Note: A shortcut is to double-click the buddy name you wish to IM) 

    4. The Instant Message screen pops up with a blinking cursor, ready for your message to be typed. 

    5. After your message is complete, click the "Send" icon, located on the lower right corner of the IM screen. 

    6. Once you click "send", your message appears on the screen of the recipient, with a dialog screen allowing your buddy to respond. 


What happens if three or more people want to talk as a group? IM is great for one-on-one conversations, but is cumbersome with three or more. The answer is Chat! A Chat room is a private "forum" where only buddies that are invited may attend. It's just like having a meeting in a private room. If you begin a Chat and invite buddies to it, you are said to be "hosting" the Chat. Let's take a look at how it works! 

     Hosting a Chat . . . 
    1. Left click on the Send Chat Invitation icon, located on the AIM window below the Buddy List. This will open the Chat Invitation window. 

    2. In the field with the heading screen names to invite, type in the screen name(s) you wish to invite to your Chat. *Note: You will need to separate each name with a comma.

    3. You may change the message in the Invitation Message field if you wish. This will be your personal greeting to the guest(s). 

    4. You can either keep the name of the Chat room assigned, or you may change the name to something more suitable. Change the name by deleting the assigned name in the Chat room field, and then typing in a new one. *Note: You must begin the name with a letter.

    5. Left click on the Send icon, at the bottom of the Chat Invitation window. 


You should now see the Chat Room window opened: 

  • The large field to the left contains the messages from yourself and each of the guests. 
  • The smaller field to the right lists the current occupants of the room. 
  • The small field at the bottom of the window is where you type your message. 


You may now type in your messages and display them with several members at once. This is considered hosting. 

    1. To exit the Chat Room and close the window, left click on File. 

    2. Select close at the bottom of the list. 


A great time saver offered by AIM is the ability to instantly send files from your computer to another user's. Our last lesson will show you how to share files with a buddy. 

     Sharing Files or FTP . . . 

Using FTP sites to download files: 
    1. Go to "People" at the top of the AIM screen.

    2. Scroll down to "Send file to buddy…" and click.

    3. A new box will appear. Enter the screen name of the buddy you wish to send the file. Click ok.

    4. In the next box, type in the file name and enter a brief description of the file - so your buddy can decide whether to accept the file or not.

    5. Click on "Send" at the bottom of the screen.

    6. A box will appear - "waiting for file to transfer." 

    7. And a (transfer completed) box will appear, indicating a successful transfer.