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TICKET ARCHIVE -> iChat on Dot Mac -vs- Aol Messenger:
jellison - May 9, 2006 - 2:14 am
jellison ]: -- My 60 day free trial on (Dot)-Mac is soon to expire, which will force me to go with the ( AIM-Aol Messenger service ). I signed up with (Dot)-Mac because I read on this Site that it would be easier to create a User Name for iChat, plus be able to keep it when rolling over to the AIM-AOL Messenger free account.
Everything works great now with My iChat, ( corresponding with my friend in Nortern Arizona on Audio-& exchanging files ).
So I have a multi-part Question: --
[A]-- Will a AOL Messenger Account operate as Smoothly as the (Dot)-Mac Account does for iChatting & transfer files ? ?
[ Using AOL's Server & not Dot-mac's Server ]
[b]-- What exactly is the (Dot)-Mac Family Package, And can it be used to have two or three different Mac Computers iChat-correspond to one another around the Country as suppose-ed family Members. [ if that feature existed with the Family package, it would be worth the $180.00 expense, knowing that the restriction is just in Up-loading "data-Files" account Storage, which would be for the main account Holder ].
[C]-- If I Choose to switch to the Free AOL-AIM Messenger systems, what is the brief refresher proceedure to make the switch, and what to expect ? ?,--does my friend in N-Arizona have to change his settings to iChat with Me ? ?
( Summary )-- I would prefer to keep on using the Apple Service if it can be justified money-wise. All I am trying to do is save on L.D. Phone bills with iChat, along with simple file-transfer. My Two other Friends with Apples & iChat could use the xtra email accounts, but don't really need the large-Server site storage features. Thanks for all your past Help--You Folks are always Correct with your advice. jellison, Oregon.
Everything works great now with My iChat, ( corresponding with my friend in Nortern Arizona on Audio-& exchanging files ).
So I have a multi-part Question: --
[A]-- Will a AOL Messenger Account operate as Smoothly as the (Dot)-Mac Account does for iChatting & transfer files ? ?
[ Using AOL's Server & not Dot-mac's Server ]
[b]-- What exactly is the (Dot)-Mac Family Package, And can it be used to have two or three different Mac Computers iChat-correspond to one another around the Country as suppose-ed family Members. [ if that feature existed with the Family package, it would be worth the $180.00 expense, knowing that the restriction is just in Up-loading "data-Files" account Storage, which would be for the main account Holder ].
[C]-- If I Choose to switch to the Free AOL-AIM Messenger systems, what is the brief refresher proceedure to make the switch, and what to expect ? ?,--does my friend in N-Arizona have to change his settings to iChat with Me ? ?
( Summary )-- I would prefer to keep on using the Apple Service if it can be justified money-wise. All I am trying to do is save on L.D. Phone bills with iChat, along with simple file-transfer. My Two other Friends with Apples & iChat could use the xtra email accounts, but don't really need the large-Server site storage features. Thanks for all your past Help--You Folks are always Correct with your advice. jellison, Oregon.
bobw - May 9, 2006 - 10:30 am
Hi Jellison
You're not understanding the iChat program.
It works the same with either a .mac account or an AIM user namer. You just choose which service you're using in iChat's preferences. Anyone anywhere can use iChat if the have OS X and either a .mac name or AIL/AOL user name. You don't need the family pack.
This is the .mac overview;
http://www.apple.com/dotmac/features.html
This is the Family plan overview;
http://www.mac.com/1/family_pack.html
The Family view is for people on the same machine, or at the same location, not spread accross the country.
When you roll over, which you really don't do, you gte an AIM user name, you will still be able to use iChat as you do now, not sure about the file transfers, but I believe that will still work also.
You can go to http://www.aim.com and download their messenger and sign up for a user name and set iChat to use that and see if it works for file transfer. You can have both a .mac user name and AIM name in iChat and switch between them.
Once the trial period expires, you will no longer have the mac.com web/storage space, but you'll be able to keep the mac. user name you have and continue using that as you do now.
So basically, you don't have to do anything or make any changes.
If you want free email accounts, you can always use Gmail, works well.
https://www.google.com/accounts
If you decide to use Gmail and have problems, let me know. I have 100 accounts I can give away.
bobw
http://www.macosx.com
You're not understanding the iChat program.
It works the same with either a .mac account or an AIM user namer. You just choose which service you're using in iChat's preferences. Anyone anywhere can use iChat if the have OS X and either a .mac name or AIL/AOL user name. You don't need the family pack.
This is the .mac overview;
http://www.apple.com/dotmac/features.html
This is the Family plan overview;
http://www.mac.com/1/family_pack.html
The Family view is for people on the same machine, or at the same location, not spread accross the country.
When you roll over, which you really don't do, you gte an AIM user name, you will still be able to use iChat as you do now, not sure about the file transfers, but I believe that will still work also.
You can go to http://www.aim.com and download their messenger and sign up for a user name and set iChat to use that and see if it works for file transfer. You can have both a .mac user name and AIM name in iChat and switch between them.
Once the trial period expires, you will no longer have the mac.com web/storage space, but you'll be able to keep the mac. user name you have and continue using that as you do now.
So basically, you don't have to do anything or make any changes.
If you want free email accounts, you can always use Gmail, works well.
https://www.google.com/accounts
If you decide to use Gmail and have problems, let me know. I have 100 accounts I can give away.
bobw
http://www.macosx.com
jellison - May 11, 2006 - 9:37 am
jellison:-- Thanks for the Info-- Bob [ bobw ] I was just thinking that (dot)-Mac was using a seperate Server than AIM is, and that the ( .Mac ) server might be superior in performance. but at $100 per year, i think I'll try the AIM route to see how it is. jellison Oregon.
bobw - May 11, 2006 - 10:40 am
Jellison
Apple uses the AOL servers for iChat, so it wouldn't make any difference.
bobw
Apple uses the AOL servers for iChat, so it wouldn't make any difference.
bobw
jellison - May 26, 2006 - 1:41 pm
jellison: ]-- My (dot) Mac Account has been expired for a week now, and for the first few days I got No activity from My friend in Arizona, So I wondered if it had stopped working. I was about to call Him on the Phone to go on-line to test the iChat, when the icon started jumping again in the Dock. He just hadn't been on-line for several days. The iChat is still working just as it did before, including File Transfer. Muncho-Thanks for the Advice--Bob [ bobw ]
jellison Oregon
jellison Oregon
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