AIM
brb. Forever.
CAUSE OF DEATH: Went from 52% of the market to 0.73% in five years. AOL watched.
Screen Names, Away Messages, AOL's Attention Span
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AIM launched in May 1997 and taught a generation to type badly at speed. By 2006 it held 52% of the instant messaging market. Your screen name was your first brand. Your away message was your first blog, mostly song lyrics aimed at one specific person. Then the world moved on and AOL did what AOL does with a lead, which is nothing. By June 2011 its share was 0.73%. AOL left the body on the couch for six more years and shut it down on December 15, 2017. Volunteers started a server for the old versions. The fans outlasted the company's interest.