Aim Advice

[QrazychiQ]

Hello.... and first of all thank you to OldVersion.com for making available the older, and often much more reliable versions of computer software.

I've made use of a lot of older versions from this site and it has really made my on-line life a lot easier.

Now, here's my problem, or question, if you will:

I'm using an older computer that is running Windows 98 (first edition- we've wanted to upgrade but it is simply beyond our means, financially).

I do a lot of on-line chatting, mostly on AOL IM, and sometimes it is the only way I can communicate with my friends, as a lot of them don't have the time to answer e-mails.

I was using the regular AOL IM program back in 2002, and I had not upgraded it for some time, so it was probably a 1999, or 2000 era version of the software. Then I switched to Trillian. However, the new version of Trillian is just too big and involved for my system.

I have a very small HD (only 8GB) and only 64MB of RAM.

The version of Trillian I was running, which was an older version, kept freezing and having connection problems. I checked the newest version, and it is bigger than my browser software, and requires more RAM.

So, I tried a program called Easy Message. And last night it started freezing, performing illegal operations, and refusing to connect to the IM network.

I have been reading through your forums on the IM subject, and I'm convinced that what I need is an older version of AOL IM, rather than an integrated client like Gaim, Trillian, or Easy Message.

I would like to stick with an integrated client, and I did see a link to one called IM2 or something- does anyone have any experience with that particular program ?

But, on the subject of AOL IM I saw version 4.8 reccomended commonly, as well as version 5.2.

One of the reasons I stopped using IM and went for Trillian was that IM's audio-adds would always block my soundcard- after an audio add loaded, I couldn't play any audio files on my computer until I closed AOL IM and rebooted.

So- sorry for rambling for a moment- here's what I'm asking:

What version of AOL IM do you reccomend for a computer with an 8GB HD, and 64MB of RAM running Windows 98 (1st Edition), if I'd like to be able to have the following features:

1- as few adds as possible, and no audio adds. No "AIM Today" window, etc. That sort of thing freezes and slows up my puter.
2- Buddy lists stored on their server rather than my computer.
3- No "obsolete version" warning when I log on

Oh... and a note on DeadAIM- I've had it reccomended to me very highly by a friend who uses it, but when I installed it on my machine last summer, it basicly didn't do anything. So, is DeadAIM not Windows 98 compatible ?

Any help, advice, etc. would be most appreciated...

QrazychiQ

[locustfurnace]

The_Dude should be able to answer your question, as he is running Win98se with 64megs RAM.
There may be some options under the alternative chat clients, such as GAIM, but I have no experience using it with a lower memory system. I've had 92megs of RAM back in 1994, when most people had 4megs, and have only had high memory systems since.

[Stank_chair]

My god -92 megs of ram in 1994. were you rich? the most popular and average ram chip in '93-'94 was the 30 pin simm module (386-486 days) and the price back then for a megabyte of ram was anywhere from $38-$42! (in any form) so you must have spent anywhere from $3,496 to $3,864 dollars! it cost me about $160-ish for the 4 megs of ram in my computer back then (to play doom) and the advent of the 72 pin "sdram" was just coming onto the scene and some latter 386 and newer 486 motherboards were incorporating a slot (usualy just one -for the size of the chip could go up to 384 megs of ram) and there the price for that "new technology" was even greater than the 30 pin simm modules (per meg) new computers back in that era only shipped with an average of 2 megs of ram. it wasnt until 1996 when "EDO" ram was introduced, and asian producers went thru a "production boom" that prices began to dramaticly drop.

[locustfurnace]

Consider that the LISA was over $7,000 when it was released.
Spending a lot of money on computers, was common, for example my 17inch monitor - back in '95/96 was close to $2,000.
My video card was $900 in that same time.
The sound card I had, was $350, plus could even update it with more 30pin RAM.

One could easily sink several thousand dollars into their computers then. There was no other option. It was either spend the money, or go without.

[QrazychiQ]

The_Dude should be able to answer your question, as he is running Win98se with 64megs RAM.

Thank you... maybe he'll have a chance to see my post. I'm not sure how to get in touch with him personally....

There may be some options under the alternative chat clients, such as GAIM, but I have no experience using it with a lower memory system. I've had 92megs of RAM back in 1994, when most people had 4megs, and have only had high memory systems since.

I have tried Trillian, Easy Message, and IM2. They all required more HD space and memory than I can spare. I did look at the GAIM website, but it looked to me like it might be about as big as Trillian.

I have heard someone mention another alternative client... Miranda ?

But, try as I might I couldn't find the webpage.

[locustfurnace]

Thank you... maybe he'll have a chance to see my post. I'm not sure how to get in touch with him personally.

He'll probably post eventually when he signs in.

But, try as I might I couldn't find the webpage.

Check this pinned topic
http://www.oldversion.com/talk/index.php?a...t=ST&f=2&t=1395

[Goslow]

Originally posted by QrazychiQ@Mar 13 2005, 07:20 PM
maybe he'll have a chance to see my post. I'm not sure how to get in touch with him personally....

Membership gives you this ability via personal message

[The Dude]

Hello my friend,

I recommend using Aim 5.2.3277 .. I used to use that FOR MANY MONTHS (The BEST client aim ever put out) A runner up client would be the one i am using now!!!!! Version 5.5.3590 (IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD ON BOTH THESE WHEN CLICKED)

Heres the advantages of both:

5.2.3277

Small,Quick,only 3 Megs,Does the Job

5.5.3590

Small,Quick,4 Megs,BUDDY Pop up alerts (Sign on/off) (RUNS FINE ON 98SE,should run fine on 98a)

I also have 64 Megs,11,000 Meg HD (11 Gig)

DO NOT UPGRADE AFTER 3590!!!! it goes to hell my friend!!!!!! (Literally)

Please see my thread about 5.5.3590 HERE

Good Luck.......Let us no wat u decide

Yer friend,

The Dude

[QrazychiQ]

Oye, Dude !!

Thank you, for your advice. I think I'm gonig to give AIM 5.5.3590 a try. After reading your post on this particular version it sounds like the best one I could get.

I have 8GB on my HD, and am only using a small ammount of it for actual file storage. I have most of my files on CDR.

So, I can afford the larger of the two programs.

I'll download it and see what happens

Now... a word about YM:

I'd love to have a version of it as well. But, I really hate the latest version. Too big, uses too many resources and too much memory. Freezes my puter if I try and use it.

But the friend I talk to no line the most uses Yahoo more than AOL IM...

My problem- I try to download and install an older version of YM, and I get a nag screen to update every time I try and log on, and then I can't get on the service.

Do they happen to have an old version out there that allows you to get on the service ?

Just wondering B)

Take care, all...

QrazychiQ h34r:

[The Dude]

I dont wanna bother signing in,but anyways....

YA lemme know how ya make out & like it and all