AOL (yes — they’re still out there kicking) has announced that AIM, the go-to Instant Messaging service for all 90’s kids, will put up its final away message on December 15, 2017.
For all the young-bloods or geezers out there, AIM was a cross between texting and Twitter before either existed. It was used to stay in touch with friends and flirt with girls. You could set an away message (subtweeting) and make plans for the night (“at mikes. call us”). Basically, AIM was the center of the social word for kids back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. And now it’s gone.
https://twitter.com/aim/status/916290747850264577
In a very-AOL move, the announcement of AIM’s final days was made on Tumblr.
via Tumblr:
If you were a 90’s kid, chances are there was a point in time when AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a huge part of your life. You likely remember the CD, your first screenname, your carefully curated away messages, and how you organized your buddy lists. Right now you might be reminiscing about how you had to compete for time on the home computer in order to chat with friends outside of school. You might also remember how characters throughout pop culture from “You’ve Got Mail” to “Sex and the City” used AIM to help navigate their relationships. In the late 1990’s, the world had never seen anything like it. And it captivated all of us.
AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed. As a result we’ve made the decision that we will be discontinuing AIM effective December 15, 2017. We are more excited than ever to continue building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products for users around the world.
The internet collectively mourned, neigh, celebrated the life of AIM.
https://twitter.com/COED/status/916334920154406912
https://twitter.com/YourAwayMessage/status/916317229226057730
https://twitter.com/juliareinstein/status/916321798580572160
https://twitter.com/sakelfc/status/916318925666709504
https://twitter.com/JoshxHolder/status/916322990345871362
https://twitter.com/CMooreHere/status/916326283038134272
https://twitter.com/portlandia/status/916324511066103808
https://twitter.com/TheMixedOne24/status/916324059612188672
https://twitter.com/_ShanG9/status/916333738459623425
https://twitter.com/ismh/status/916296769541165056
https://twitter.com/kifleswing/status/916301869793923072
https://twitter.com/Dan_E_Solo/status/916307819246379013
https://twitter.com/josh_hammer/status/916306511671857152
https://twitter.com/jfield/status/916310932858355712
https://twitter.com/RandiMShaffer/status/916301633469984774
https://twitter.com/ungarino/status/916298741266739201
https://twitter.com/SonnyBunch/status/916304486427189248
So rest in peace, AIM, and thank you for your service. You were there for us when we needed you most: middle school.
