An Interesting Response sent to a Trillian user

[Q]

As anyone who uses Trillian probably knows by now, AOL has been kicking users of the program within several minutes of their being online, sending this nasty little message along:
You have been disconnected from the AOL Instant Message Service (SM) for accessing the AOL network using unauthorized software. You can download a FREE, fully featured, and authorized client, here www.aol.com/aim/download2.html .So earlier today, one of the Trillian Supporters e-mailed them about this, politely questioning them on their actions, and received this response:
Dear Mike,

Greetings! I'm Noel S. from America Online. Thank you for writing to the AOL Techmail Department.

I understand from your e-mail that you would like AOL to stop blocking Trillian.

Kindly be informed that AOL is working with Trillian on their program so that AIM can work with their application.

NOTE: AOL Buddy List Mesenger is not compatible with Trillian, so if you are still have not tried AIM software, please refer to the bottom of this e-mail for instructions on how to download AIM so you can use the Trillian Software with it.

I assure you that AOL always tries to keep up with technology and other software so that AOL will be compatible with every program. If the AOL Software were incompatible with programs then it would not be usable or marketable to our members and would be members. This would go against marketing AOL and would make AOL unpopular to the millions of members who use it. I hope my explanation is satisfactory to assure you that AOL does not intend to block Trillian Software.

There may be some bugs which noth Trillian and AOL software engineers need to fix to make both programs compatible.

The AIM software has been in use by both internet users and AOL members for many years now and has constantly been improved as you well know. Trillian software is comparatively new and so it will still take a little more time to make both compatible.

Please contact Trillian Support staff for their explanation of this problem.

You can get assistance from their consultants at:
http://www.trillian.cc/help/index.htmlI took the liberty of putting certain questionable parts in bold.

Moreover, I did a little investigation and found this article (http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,38381,00.asp), which enlightened me just a smidgen on the situation. Apparently, the FCC ruled that AOL must allow third party applications to access their networks. (More quotage)
To combat this, the FCC is laying down two conditions on AOL Time Warner that it hopes will ensure that users of AOL Time Warner cable systems are not forced to use proprietary systems. Its concern focuses on proprietary systems that would either leave users unable to contact people on different networks or force third parties to adopt AOL's system in order to contact customers on the cable networks.

The provisions center on demonstrating that interoperability exists between AOL Time Warner's future advanced instant messaging system and competing systems.Also, while I'm ranting about this: Might I point out that AOL is, indeed, singling out Trillian on this issue. Other programs, like Odigo, can still connect to the AIM network just fine.

[ReaperFett]

That allowing others rule is dumb. It's like me drilling a hole in the wall of a cinema, and threading a camera through, before showing it at the building next door. As normal, you get succesful, you get stupid restrictions.


Don't get why they singlarly pick on Trillian though. To me, I now get the impression that it is compatability, as in something Trillian does sets something off in AIM, when it shouldn't.

[Q]

It's not dumb. When AOL merged with Time Warner, they also got control of ICQ, the only other major messenging system out there. It effectively gave them a monopoly over the world of Instant Messenging. AND, regardless of whether or not you think it's "dumb", it's still a legal ruling that they have to abide by.

It's obviously not a compatability issue, as Trillian has worked fine on the AIM network for quite some time now. Also, the message that AOL sends users when it kicks them off is pretty clear and concise: They're deliberately kicking off Trillian users. Then their PR department (which are either deaf, dumb and blind, or they have their heads up the wrong orifices) is denying that they're kicking anyone. For chrissakes, the boot message is sent from "AOL Instant Messenger".

[Morgan Evanar]

Meh... ever heard of a monopoly Fett?

[Q]

And, while I'm still in rant mode: The way AOL is kicking off Trillian users is questionable, at best: They're manually signing on using that person's Screenname and Password so it kicks off all other connections. Which means AOL is using your account.

[Orion Csalestes]

Honestly, AOL's negligence towards the mandate isn't surprising. I doubt that their rise to the "top" was formed upon free cookies and juice. Corruption inevitably follows, clandestine or not. If not this, potentially something else; not to say that there is nothing else supplementary.

Yet once at the top, one usually manages to pull through unless the transgressions are truly substantial --

All in all, there's little that can be done.

[ReaperFett]

It's obviously not a compatability issue, as Trillian has worked fine on the AIM network for quite some time now
Yeah, but AIM keeps hassling me about updating AIM(Cant be bothered to update:)). Could be that


Meh... ever heard of a monopoly Fett?
Yes I have. I also heard about one of the "fairness" Monopoly rules over here basically condemmed us to our current third-world Internet access.

Not like there's any point replying to you, it's not as if you'd ever respond again :)



Which means AOL is using your account.
Haven't they got to use it every time you request details of another user though?



Corruption inevitably follows
That's NOT corruption. Disobaying the law, yes, but not corruption

[Q]

Haven't they got to use it every time you request details of another user though?Er, no. That didn't even make any sense to me. AOL (supposedly) cannot use your account. Ever. It's arguably an invasion of privacy. And as soon as I finish my lunch, I'm going to e-mail them saying as much.
That's NOT corruption. Disobaying the law, yes, but not corruptionA big-name business abusing it's standing to unilaterally break the law IS corruption.

[Moranda Savich]

Frellit, so what now? I got that same response when I tried to sign onto AIM over Trillian.

We just wait and see if AOL decides to stop sending those messages one day? Or until Trillian comes up with a way to keep them from doing that?

[Q]

The Trillian team will probably have found a way around this within a day or two.

[ReaperFett]

Er, no. That didn't even make any sense to me. AOL (supposedly) cannot use your account. Ever. It's arguably an invasion of privacy.
By make sense you mean you dont get what I mean? If yes, I mean when I right click and get your details. If no, then just ignore as usual :)



The Trillian team will probably have found a way around this within a day or two
And then nothing will be wrong :)

[Q]

If yes, I mean when I right click and get your detailsThat's accessing a user's Public Profile. Like clicking on the profile button under my post here. It has nothing to do with accessing a person's account.

And of course: Their attempts to have a monopostic control over IM services will still be wrong. However, the fact that there IS an alternative will balance the scales nicely.

[ReaperFett]

That's accessing a user's Public Profile. Like clicking on the profile button under my post here. It has nothing to do with accessing a person's account.
Right, gotcha

[Orion Csalestes]

On a broader scale, the difficulty is that AOL will only design an additional method to cope with their legal nuisances by illegal means. Trillian will most likely create an override program, but the same works vice versa.

The alternatives shift, and at one point there may be none that prove worthy. I may be missing the direct topic, yet universally the issue is disturbing.

[Q]

Furthermore:
Under the FCC's decision, before AOL Time Warner offers advanced instant-messaging services, such as video conferencing, over its cable network, it must agree to allow at least one instant-messaging rival to connect to its system. And then, within 180 days of executing its first contract, it must sign up two additional significant and unaffiliated instant-messaging firms. Under the initial FCC staff proposal, AOL would have been required to ensure compatibility with just one instant-messaging firm

[ReaperFett]

it must sign up two additional significant and unaffiliated instant-messaging firms
Thus meaning two or three breakaway, making the market worse in the future

[Q]

Regardless of what your predict the future holds for them, they are still breaking their agreement with the FCC. I e-mailed the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division regarding this.

[ReaperFett]

If you get AIM closed down, I kill you :)

[Frank Harrigan]

Simple solution: MSN

[ReaperFett]

replace the word 'simple' with 'poor', and I'll give you that :)

[Q]

Hey... I'm agreeing with Fett! :eek

[ReaperFett]

You do that a fair bit, stop acting like it's strange

[Frank Harrigan]

eez, you SWfans people sure bitch a lot
Gee, I hate Tripod
I hate EZBoard
MSN sucks




Why don't you run a bloody messaging service then? |I

[Morgan Evanar]

We lack the resources, but if I had the ability, I'd be happy to put up an IRC server.

[Charley]

You know, given a set of needs, a budget, a coding team, and a group of ruthless marketeers, I am now reasonably-assured I could do just that :p

[ReaperFett]

eez, you SWfans people sure bitch a lot
Yeah, tell me about it :)

[Frank Harrigan]

theres supposed to be a "G" there

[ReaperFett]

I always spell it with a J, guessing what it is an abbreviation of :)

[Champion of the Force]

Bitching keeps us all sane, seeing as how all the fleet arguments have disappeared. :D

[Marcus Telcontar]

Instant Messaging server, optional extra in Exchange 2000. Works niiiiiiiiiccccceeeeee


And yes, we bitch a lot. But if we really hate somehting, we have a tendancy to DO somethign about it.

Which is why we are here now :)

[Charley]

This reminds me of a project I did for USOn & Birmingham Hem/Onc this summer, where we tried to use a messenger service with an executive overseer. I was a little in over my head on that one...so I had to kinda table the project until I could find a tool for upper management.

[Moltar]

Exchange 2000?

Wha?

[Frank Harrigan]

:rolleyes

[Integra Hellsing]

After a day's reading, I'm wondering if Frank here actually adds anything to these conversations, or if he's just a heckler.

I wonder...

[Sith Ahnk]

Aw, now thats not fair
I add lots to conversations like
Er
Well
Umm
Hell
Just
Ah
Gack
Mork
Smiff
Freeon
Iron
Dances

:rolleyes

[Jehova Eaven]

:: Dances on Sith Ahnk's gravestone::

[Sith Ahnk]

*sends clones to expel you from the theme park*

[Jehova Eaven]

whats the theme?

[Q]

No thread hijacking! :mad

[Charley]

<img src=http://learndifferent.clanpages.com/ll/ambush.jpg>

[Darth Viscera]

I have Office 2000 Premium. That contains Exchange 2000, right?

[Marcus Telcontar]

Exchange 2000 is the Email server that Microsoft sells. Bulky, hard on the system, but can be well secured and has an astounding featureset. Exchange is the email server I swear by, even if it is an MS product. It has, since 5.5 SP3, had the ability to host a private Instant Messenger (MSN based of course) group, that can be expanded as far as you want. So, it's not as simple as an IRC server would be, nor as public, but it's quite nice for a business. I register my public MSNIM against mp private servers, so I can chat on both. Although, it's good practice to have a public IM name and a few private ones.

Personally, I dropped ICQ from my public IM contacts cause...well... it sucked. I like MSN, but it's feature set is too limited. I just wish AIM was not made by AOL, cause it's nifty at times.

[Morgan Evanar]

Actually, ICQ w/ Trillian is much less painless.

[Jehova Eaven]

yes it is, cause I am from the moon and all I say and do is right.

[Moltar]

And he's not kidding. Look at all the cheese he eats....

[Jehova Eaven]

we eat hot pockets on the moon.

[Q]

Off with you hijackers, or I'll request to have your posts deleted. :p

I'm still waiting to see if I get a reply from the DOJ.

[TheHolo.Net]

Downloads and tries new fixed version of Trillian

[TheHolo.Net]

It works for the time being. :D

[Shawn]

Hooray for Cerulean Studios. :) I think I'll send a donation their way.