An Ode to AOL Instant MessengerIt's time to set your permanent away message: after 20 years, AIM is shutting down. (We're not crying, you're crying.)
Unfortunately, you read that right. Today AOL announced that the instant messaging service will be shutting down for good, taking all of our random, x-laden, lyric-inspired screen names with it. According to a recently released statement, the company recognizes AIM's legacy but acknowledges that it has essentially become obsolete:
AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed.
I realize that this may seem like a non-event to anyone who doesn't remember the world without smartphones. However, for some of us who came of age in the 90s and early 2000s, AIM was our introduction into the social realms of the internet, and will forever hold a special place in our hearts. For me personally, AIM completely defined my teenhood, and though I don't use it anymore, I can't ...
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An Ode to AOL Instant Messenger
