Speed Up Your Online Communications with Instant Messaging
AIM 4.0 from AOL provides instant communication on the Internet

PRODUCT REVIEW
E-mail has revolutionized the way business people communicate. And if there’s any doubt about how much we rely on it, you only need to look as far as the recent viruses that brought businesses worldwide to their knees to see that it’s essential to our daily operations. In spite of all its advantages, however, e-mail does have its drawbacks.

One option for speeding up your online communication is Instant Messaging. In addition to being a convenient way to communicate with colleagues and associates in real time, it’s an excellent way to keep in constant contact with a team of virtual associates who are working on a common project.

From a business standpoint, Instant Messaging is faster than e-mail and more convenient than picking up your phone. Instant Messaging has another feature that makes it great for most small businesses—it’s free.

The most popular Instant Messaging program is America Online’s Instant Messenger (AIM) 4.0. AOL was one of the first Internet Service Providers to offer Instant Messaging to its users on a wide scale. The company quickly expanded the capability to Internet users who aren’t part of the AOL network.

How to Use AIM 4.0.
You don’t have to be an AOL member to use AIM. In addition to having an Internet connection, all you need to do is make sure that the AIM software is loaded on your computer and on the computer of the person you want to communicate with. You can download the program from the AOL Web site and install it on your computer.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed AIM, you will need to give yourself a screen name that others will use to make contact with you. That screen name will double as your “buddy” name.

Buddy Names and Buddy Lists
AIM uses a slightly different set of terminology and concepts than e-mail. Your contacts are called “buddies” and all communication through AIM uses buddies and buddy lists. Buddies are simply others who have the AIM software loaded on their computers—in other words, the pool of potential people you can communicate with. A buddy’s name is the same as the screen name they’ve given themselves.

When you log on to AIM, your Buddy List window appears. Four different groups are automatically created for you: Buddies, Family, Co-Workers, and Offline. You can add your buddies to any of these lists, with the exception of the Offline group. This is where your buddies who aren’t logged on appear. What’s nice about the way the Offline group works is that it uses “buddy alerts”; that is, AIM notifies you when your buddies log in. You can also create your own buddy groups to help you group buddies by their interests. Small businesses might want to group buddies by the projects they are working on.

File Transfers
AIM also supports the transferring of files. When AIM is installed, it creates a folder called filelib. This folder is where you place the files you want your buddies to download; it’s also the area where files that are sent to you are downloaded by default.

AIM allows for file transfers in two ways. You can send a file to another buddy, or you can have your buddies download the file themselves. Don’t be afraid to allow buddies to download from your folder—AIM allows you to limit who has access to your filelib folder and it also keeps track of who has downloaded files and when they were downloaded.

This integrated file transfer feature allows you to eliminate the hassle of attaching files to your e-mail messages. In addition to filelib, AIM gives you the option to create unique folders that your buddies have access to.

If you’re looking for a simple and quick way to exchange information online, make AIM part of your online tool set. Its ease of use, simple installation and ability to ship data offers small businesses another tool to improve Internet productivity.

AOL Instant Messenger 4.0—The Essentials
AOL Instant Messenger is a free software program that allows you to:
•    Send instant messages
•    Share files, photos, pictures and sounds
•    Hold live voice conversations online—FREE
•    Use electronic chats to communicate with colleagues and business associates
•      Stay on top of the news and stocks with the AIM Ticker

It takes only a few minutes to download this free program over a standard Internet connection. The installation process is equally as quick. In just under 15 minutes, you can download the software install and begin sending instant messages. Download AIM 4.0 at www.aol.com.

Michael Scanlon is the technology editor for the Kansas City Small Business Monthly.