Open Web API for AOL’s AIM
Om Malik writes about AOL’s bold decision to open the API to AIM for web developers.
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The web version of OpenAIM is an effort by the company to rally web developers to its platform. The company is betting that its web APIs will result in many mash-ups and extend the utility of the AIM network, estimated to have 63 million users.
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The service is essentially free if the number of daily logons to the AIM doesn’t exceed 250,000 a day and tops out at 2 million logons a month. After that company says it will enter into a commercial agreement with the developers, but the terms are going to be pretty reasonable.
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Amongst the widgets to be offered, there will be an IM widget, the Buddy List widget, and a Get Info Widget, which provides buddy info by way of a separate window. These will be offered as APIs along with a Presence API, which would allow AIM users to get and set their availability, away messages and profiles.