AIM on friend's 8 hour iMac crashes

[MacFan782040]

He's really getting frustrated. He just got his 20" iMac G5 today, after I convinced him to switch to Mac. But, AIM quits unexpectally all the time. Now I know AIM isn't the greatest program in the world, but I've been using it for years and years and I've never had this problem. Myself, I just bought an iMac back in September, and I've never had problems with it crashing. As a college student, AIM is logged on probably 18/24 hours a day.

WHy is his AIM crashing every 5 minutes, when basically I have the same computer and it's worked fine since day 1?

He's tried reinstalling and repairing permissions, restarting, ect. He does not like iChat and won't settle for an AIM client. (PC user..)


Thanks guys.

 

[hcuar]

Go with Adium... AIM for the Mac sucks.

 

[buryyourbrideau]

Well if he wont settle for an AIM client or use iChat which is 1000 times better and more efficient then he is just cheating himself by using that crappy @$$ program.

Its gonna keep crashing until he switches programs. The AIM version for Mac sucks.

So tell him its a lost cause until he leaves it.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Its gonna keep crashing until he switches programs. The AIM version for Mac sucks.

.

Consider it a subtle hint to use iChat.

BTW, is there any reason to use AIM instead of iChat? Put aside whether Adium is even better (while it uses multiple clients, it doesn't have all the features, like videochat). But why would anyone use AIM over iChat, which is a pretty slick program itself.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

If he really insists on using AIM, there isn't much we can do for you - it is a horrible app. iChat, Adium etc. are way way better. He needs use one of those.

 

[telecomm]

Has he tried deleting the preferences file?

 

[MacFan782040]

Consider it a subtle hint to use iChat.

BTW, is there any reason to use AIM instead of iChat? Put aside whether Adium is even better (while it uses multiple clients, it doesn't have all the features, like videochat). But why would anyone use AIM over iChat, which is a pretty slick program itself.

Cause it's not "AIM" like he has on the PC...and that everyone has. You can't update your profile easily in iChat, and it' just a different layout.

 

[eva01]

resistent to change huh....

ugh just tell him to use a different program, why anyone would use the official AIM client is beyond me

 

[MacFan782040]

resistent to change huh....

ugh just tell him to use a different program, why anyone would use the official AIM client is beyond me

I've honeslty never had a problem with it... I tend to like it actually

Regardless, I'm just puzzled why it works great for me and it crashes for him on the same OS..same machine.

 

[SummerBreeze]

Cause it's not "AIM" like he has on the PC...and that everyone has. You can't update your profile easily in iChat, and it' just a different layout.

You can update your profile easily in iChat! All you do is go to Buddies>Change my profile. You can also check others easily by right clicking on the name, choosing get info, and using the drop down list to get profiles.

See if he'll try iChat for a few days, I'm sure that after he uses it for awhile he'll fall in love with it.

 

[rickvanr]

If he's insisting to use AIM for Mac it's really his own fault. Ideally have him switch to iChat, or if he uses other services suggest Proteus, and as a last resort Adium.

 

[quigleybc]

I've honeslty never had a problem with it... I tend to like it actually

Regardless, I'm just puzzled why it works great for me and it crashes for him on the same OS..same machine.

You've already convinced him to switch to OSX....next, get him to switch to iChat, Safari, iTunes...no more aim, explorer, wmp...it's a whole new world, he'll come around..it is odd that aim is crashing, but like all the posters said, switch to iChat.

 

[maestro55]

To the OP, I agree with others. Get your friend to use iChat, I used it at school (before they blocked the AIM ports, I was stuck using www2.meebo.com). It is a very good program, all I did was text, never video chat or voice chat, but I was happy with the results

You've already convinced him to switch to OSX....next, get him to switch to iChat, Safari, iTunes...no more aim, explorer, wmp...it's a whole new world, he'll come around..it is odd that aim is crashing, but like all the posters said, switch to iChat.

I would like to get rid of wmp, but the plugins are needed online for a lot of things that I listen to.

 

[rickvanr]

I would like to get rid of wmp, but the plugins are needed online for a lot of things that I listen to.

Have you tried Flip4mac? I'm not sure if they'd let you ditch WMP for good or not.

 

[p0intblank]

Show him the advantages of using iChat, like the integration with other iApps. The Current iTunes Track feature is cool. Importing your own Buddy Icon is awesome with iChat. You don't have to worry about importing an image with the required dimensions. Show him you can resize it right there... show him how away messages show up under the person's name, rather than having to view their info just to see it. iChat also integrates itself with Apple's Mail app. Tell him to spend a couple days with it and see if he likes it.

 

[maestro55]

Have you tried Flip4mac? I'm not sure if they'd let you ditch WMP for good or not.

It is something I would try, but like oldies95online.com has a pop-up window that plays the music, and it looks for the plugins, meaning though I might be able to get rid of WMP, I would still need the WMA plugins.

Anyhow, that is very Off Topic..

again, to the OP.. get your friend to use iChat AV.

 

[Seasought]

Has your friend done a frest install of the OS, or did he just fire it up and start using it?

That may be a factor, though I realize that the nature of OS X is very much "not like this". Still, a fresh OS install might also benefit other areas both present and future.

I suppose he could also try (in combination with or stand alone) simply repairing permissions/reinstalling the App with all necessary updates.

I apologize if I'm telling you something you already know, just trying to cover all the bases.

 

[xparaparafreakx]

There is nothing wrong with using AIM. I used both iChat and AIM since I have to SN.

 

[kjs862]

After reading this I think I'm goign to start using iChat more over AIM client. Any idea how to make the budy list font smaller though? Thanks.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

Show him the advantages of using iChat, like the integration with other iApps. The Current iTunes Track feature is cool. Importing your own Buddy Icon is awesome with iChat. You don't have to worry about importing an image with the required dimensions. Show him you can resize it right there... show him how away messages show up under the person's name, rather than having to view their info just to see it. iChat also integrates itself with Apple's Mail app. Tell him to spend a couple days with it and see if he likes it.

Just as a point of information, all of the features you just described are also available in Adium. I'm not going to evangelize, but if you have a 12in iB/PB, you *need* tabbed chat windows, and only Adium offers that in a polished form.

To the OP: Not sure why yours would work and his doesn't. I experience the same sort of things when all of my family members come to me with their bizarre questions about their Macs. Somehow, as novice users they find themselves in situations that I have never heard of in 15 years of computing.

 

[rickvanr]

Just as a point of information, all of the features you just described are also available in Adium. I'm not going to evangelize, but if you have a 12in iB/PB, you *need* tabbed chat windows, and only Adium offers that in a polished form.

A complete fallacy. I much prefer Proteus handling of the message window. Proteus also does the current iTunes song, webpage you're on, etc. It's very customizable in that way. Here's a shot of the message windows handing of multiple contacts. Each Adium (top) and Proteus with 10 contacts open.

 

[jmufellow]

I completely understand the OP's friend's reluctance to change. I used the AIM client when I first moved to mac, but have now switched to Adium. It is daunting to try and figure out a new system for chatting for people because you feel pressured when using it when you have to talk to people.

But from my experience, tell him to try Adium, it's the most AIM-like client for mac that I've used.

 

[kjs862]

I figured out how reduce font size of the buddy list, but with a drawback. If go to the view menu and deselect "show buddy pictures" it will reduce the font size of your buddys. Only drawback you loose the pictures. Anyone know how to reduce the font size without loosing the pictures?