More than 100 million people use instant messaging (IM) programs on the net, and a growing number are using the same software to exchange files. IM programs enable users to share MP3 music files, videos and other types of multimedia, without using a host such as Napster.
To join in, you have to install a messaging program such as AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, MSN Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger. All can now be used to transfer files. If you have a version that cannot do this, you will need to upgrade.
We have already taken you through how to download a messaging program in this series (July 5, 2001), so we will assume you have already done this. If not, the process is largely automatic and hard to get wrong. In this article, we will look at file transfer using AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) 4.7.
Before going online with AIM, set up a folder to hold the files you want to share. AIM will create a directory in the My Documents folder in Microsoft Windows. However, this may not be the one you want to use. (My Documents is a good place to keep essential data that you need to back up often. It should not be full of large multimedia files.) I created a directory called Shared files in my Downloads directory. Move the files you want to share into this new directory.
Run AIM, click on My AIM on the toolbar, select Edit Options and then Edit Preferences. This will bring up a screen that lets you set up AIM the way you want it. Click on File Sharing, then go to the upper right, click the Browse button, and navigate to the Shared files directory. Next, click on File Transfer and change the download directory to a better location: it can be the same Shared Files folder. Finally, in the File Access panel, select the radio button that says Allow (to enable file access for your buddies). This will also disallow access to people who are not on your buddy list.
Most new IM users will be joining a group of friends online, and will have a ready-made set of buddies. Even if you are using IM for the first time, you probably know someone who is already a user and who can become your first buddy. To add him, click the List Setup tab on the AIM control panel, right-click on Buddies, and select Add Buddy from the menu. Type in your buddy's screen name or "handle" where it says New Buddy. Click the Online tab, sign on to the service, and find out if your buddy is online. If so, right-clicking on the buddy name lets you send an instant message, or send a file, or get a file.
To send a file, right-click on the screen name and select Send File. This pops up a control panel. Click the File button and choose a file to send from your Shared files directory. To send it, click the button marked Send. After the connection is made between your two computers, and your buddy accepts the file, it is sent automatically.
Receiving a file is the same but the other way round. You will get a message saying a buddy wants to send a file, and you must click to accept it.
It is best to have a message box open while swapping files as messages will appear there. However, on AIM, you cannot send to and receive from one buddy at the same time.
You can also fetch files from your buddies' computers as long as they are online. Indeed, AIM tells you if your buddies' accounts are not being used (inactive), and this is often the best time to download files. To do this, right-click on a buddy's name and select Get File from the menu. This will open a directory of the folder where your buddy shares files. Highlight the file (of files) you want, and click the Get button. The files will be transferred.
File transfers via AIM are usually faster than when using file-sharing systems such as Aimster and KaZaA. However, one drawback is that if a file transfer is not completed, AIM does not resume where it left off.
