AIM will officially sign-off in December

It’s with great indifference- maybe a hint of nostalgia- that I announce the soon-to-be passing of our beloved AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). The beloved messaging service that was the first online experience for an entire generation, will finally reach the end of its life later this year.

The remnants of the once popular chat service will be taken off life support (i.e. AOL parent company Oath will discontinue support) on Dec. 15. So if you’re still using AIM to chat, you’d better start looking for an alternative chat service.

AOL pushed out an email about the instant messenger’s demise this morning.

The news is sure to be heart-wrenching for millennials who spent hours on end messaging with friends, tying up their parents’ phone lines on dial-up connections. But AIM has fallen out of favor in recent years, as we’ve migrated to newer, flashier services on our smartphones like SnapChat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Come December 15, all that will be left are memories of unfortunate screen names and odes to a simpler time online. Take a moment today to pay your respects, and set an appropriately sappy Dashboard Confessional away message in tribute.

Or just express your condolences in our comments section.