The Future of Big-O Software and AIM+

[loogie_man]

I have read all (well, the first two pages) of your comments, and yall seem to be overlooking something...

DADINK13 wrote:
I know it can be really annoying and whatnot, but if you know that these people are just out there to critisize you guys, why let it bother you? You know that you have a wonderful loyal fanbase who loves who you are and what you do. Do you really wanna disapoint them now?

Well, maybe they aren't simply being "criticized". Maybe, and probably, it's a matter of legalities.

pdykstra600 wrote:
something sounds kind of weird about this whole thing, and to be honest it almost sounds to me like the people their talking about who were harrasing them was AOL. I mgiht be wrong, but its just a thought.

AOL probably IS who's harassing Mark and Ryan... and not just to harass them. There are probably legal reasons that a version of AIM+ compatible w/ AIM 5.x can not be released, such as copyrights. Most coders would not buckle and fold simply due to some punk fans teasing their product, etc.. And this is also probably why they don't want to explain in much detail why 3.0 can't be released yet (because they don't want to be sued).

This possibility can be somewhat proven by the fact that they said they're still going to be releasing new versions of hkSFV... because it doesn't have any legal problems against it.

Good luck, Big-O...

[bfavre4]

I also think it's definitely AOL even though Big-O denied that.

This is the logic: if it wasn't AOL, then Big-O can release it even though there are harassments. Harassments have nothing to do with the release. A release means simply putting the EXE on the website. Harassments don't stop releases. AOL did.

[jester22c]

I can't believe that someone attacked them to the extent that they had to take such measures as they did.

I do suppose that everyone handles things in their own ways though. I have been personally attacked very severely in the past. I'm not going to get into what happened but it was bad enough that I sent a few people to jail. I am just the kind of person that doesn't take crap from someone. Now if someone throws some "your mama" jokes at me I'll laugh it off, but I am talking about actual physical or potentially damaging attacks. When the whole ordeal happened to me I stood my ground (not to say that Mark/Ryan aren't or didn't). I just don't take crap from people. If someone calls and tells me they're going to kill me... I call up my uncle who is the head of the swat team and have the sick prick put in jail. If someone comes to my house to do my harm... I pull out a gun and shoot them. I'm not going to let them win. I am very easy to get along with, I'm a fun loving peaceful guy. But if you physically attack me I'm going to bash your freaking face in.

Whatever "they" did must have been pretty bad...

</rant>

[texpayne]

You must admit that it's not very responsible of a software company to hype a release date for a few weeks

Michael, with all due respect...

Big-O-Software is not a company, they aren't making profit off of this. They wouldn't have hyped it if they had anticipated the problems that arose. I understand that its obviously not the worlds business what problems they are having or they would share, as they realize that we love their product as much as they used to enjoy making it. For now, we'll just need to support them, and if they ever can further develop AIM+, great! and if not, then thats too bad that whoever the mean people are caused it.

Mark/Ryan... If you ever can use my help as a moderator/promoter/or just a lil $$ for the great cause that you provided for free when you could do so... let me know. I join the other several people on this listserv who are greatful that you were willing to putt the work into it you did and I hope that this shall all pass in time, whether or not you ever continue AIM+. Good luck and godspeed with it all.

Ron

[Nemessis]

So let me get this straight:

Ryan is being harassed by someone who apparently has an objection to the AIM+ software or Ryan personally. Since this person seems to not quite like this product or its creator (hence the attacks) it would be safe to assume that this person does not use the software. So, by not releasing AIM+ 3.0 you are not punishing this lame, abortion of an incarnation of cyber humanity, but are punishing the people who have remained hopelessly devoted to AIM+ while waiting for this new release.

I'm sorry, I might just be myopic, but I fail to see the logic in this course of action. Seems quite like sawing off your arm to spite your hand: futile, inane and dim.

Of course it is your software and you can do with it as you wish, but I urge you to take a closer look at this plan of action and perhaps consider those faithful people who make up your user base and not jump ship because a pirate has just shot cannon across your bow.

[XR250rdr]

I just want to say that I have used AIM+ for quite some time now and have recommended it to many friends. I have been eagerly awaiting the release of AIM+ 3.0 and I am very sorry to see that it has been cancelled.

Mark and Ryan I wish you both the best of luck in all your endevours.

It makes me sick when I hear about people doing this kind of thing.

[BoFiS]

I also think it's definitely AOL even though Big-O denied that.

This is the logic: if it wasn't AOL, then Big-O can release it even though there are harassments. Harassments have nothing to do with the release. A release means simply putting the EXE on the website. Harassments don't stop releases. AOL did.

Well if it were AOL, they would say it, because AOL would sue them, not attack the website and harrass them. This was obviously someone else, or some other company, and most likely the reason they're not telling us details is because they have already taken legal action and have been advises to not discuss certain aspects of it with anyone at this time.

I think we should stop speculating because it's not getting us anywhere.

[BoFiS]

I think AIM+ is an awesome product, but if you guys aren't coming out with a new version, then I have to try something else and I'll recomend it to others as well. Its called DeadAIM 3.0 and it works with the 4.8 and 5.+ versions of AIM. The program works within AIM so it does not use any additional resources.

Again I am sorry that AIM+ 3.0 has been delayed indefinately, but at least there is an alternative.

http://www.jdennis.net

DeadAIM also doesn't log until you close the window with whomever you're chatting with. It is embeded into AIM unlike AIM+ so it modifies the program itself and can make it less stable. Also features like the tabbed IM windows are not done well in that it's hard to see when someone IM's you and you can't switch between windows then with CTRL+tab or even ALT+tab. The only thing DeadAIM has going for it is that it can work with AIM 5.

MyIM isn't a bad program, in fact the logging is very nicely done, unfortunately it doesn't work with AIM 5 so if you're stuck using 4.x you might as well stick with AIM+.

Dan

[bfavre4]

I think AIM+ is an awesome product, but if you guys aren't coming out with a new version, then I have to try something else and I'll recomend it to others as well. Its called DeadAIM 3.0 and it works with the 4.8 and 5.+ versions of AIM. The program works within AIM so it does not use any additional resources.

Again I am sorry that AIM+ 3.0 has been delayed indefinately, but at least there is an alternative.

http://www.jdennis.net

DeadAIM also doesn't log until you close the window with whomever you're chatting with. It is embeded into AIM unlike AIM+ so it modifies the program itself and can make it less stable. Also features like the tabbed IM windows are not done well in that it's hard to see when someone IM's you and you can't switch between windows then with CTRL+tab or even ALT+tab. The only thing DeadAIM has going for it is that it can work with AIM 5.

MyIM isn't a bad program, in fact the logging is very nicely done, unfortunately it doesn't work with AIM 5 so if you're stuck using 4.x you might as well stick with AIM+.

Dan

But is MyIM altering the aim program like DeadAIM?

[border9]

Unfortunately for everyone anticipating the next release of our popular AIM+ application (including us), AIM+ 3.0 has been indefinitely postponed. Big-O Software has two major reasons for this decision, one that we have been attempting to work around, the other is simply unacceptable.

First, a huge difference between Big-O Software last year and Big-O Software this year is that both Ryan and I have completed college and have been thrust into the real world. In order to survive in the real world, we have both taken jobs that consume massive amounts of our time that in the past at least partially could be devoted to the support and development of our software. Spare time has been scarce, and it is key for Big-O Software, as it is a hobby that pays us nothing. This part, however, we were willing to work around, so that we could continue to provide quality software for ourselves and our users.

Second, over the past few months, Big-O Software has been attacked repeatedly in various ways, including telephone, email, and through the website. Recently, with the impending release of AIM+ 3.0, the individuals responsible for these attacks have taken the liberty of posting personal information about us on the internet, and the frequency and intensity of the attacks have grown exponentially. We have had a lot of fun working with the users to develop AIM+, but if this price we have to pay for our effors, then it is simply not worth it to us. We have invested a lot of time and effort into AIM+, without expecting or getting anything tangible back. There is nothing wrong with that, as we never expected anything other than our own personal use of the software. However, we are now experiencing very tangible negative effects. This is the unacceptable part; it automatically made up our minds for us.

In conclusion, Big-O Software has indefinitely postponed the further development of AIM+. We plan to continue to work out bugs in the current version, including AIM 5.x compatibility, but at this point these are our final plans for the future of AIM+.

hkSFV will continue to be fully supported, and we already have plans for future releases. Big-O Software also has plans and ideas for other new applications that we expect you will enjoy even more than AIM+.

To those who have supported us, in any way, throughout the development of AIM+: thank you, you made it very fun while it lasted, and we're sorry for the disappointment that this must bring. It certainly was not the way we had planned on celebrating AIM+'s 1 year anniversary. Unfortunately, the recent negativity and personal invasions have made this troubling decision an easy one for us to make.

Alright, know ive been using AIM+ forever and a thursday, lol, see i think that it is childish for somone to fuck with a website that has no real purpose but helping and giveing people new things to play with, i was really intrested in seeing AIM+ 3.0 but somone fucked that up. and i am quite pissed about that, and if i find out who did it they will become my little bitch , know i think that you should release the code so we can see how it really works, id like to see what goes on to make it work, I had to use DeadAIM witch isnt that bad, you should talk to them, they have a good thing going, its all internal. I dont think AOL had anything to do with this, dont think its a fuckin conspericy or whatever, its 2:30 in the morning and i cant see stright. so dun quote me on my spelling lol. I think you shouldnt give up on what you have going, you have alot of loyal users, and followers, if you opened a freaking chatroom it would be full all the time lol IRC MAN IRC. if you need anything for IRC or space, email me Border9@msn.com or simply IM ME XxBorder9xX

Thanks for your software, hopefully you change your mind.
I have Security if you need it

[hoozdapimp]

anyone who thinks AOL DOS attacked Big-O is, to be blunt, clueless. I'm sure one of the biggest ISP's in the world is going to do a DOS attack on someone...are you kidding me?

[border9]

I guessing you all never had people do attack on you person lifes. I just had the phone calls and minor things done to me at one time or another and it really makes life hard to put up with. It makes it hard to get anything done. You get to the point were you do not like answering the phone. My mom had a problem with a parent of one of her students. This parent would call out house at all hours of the night. They would wake up my entire house at 2-3 am just because they were pissed. I tell you right now it easy for attack to ruin ones life and for doing this for free software it just not worth the trouble to go though with it. I agree with mark and Ryan on the fact that getting the attacks to stop number 1.

One question who here would have there personal live ruined to do something like mark and ryan are doing. Just to make free software

how about we all join an alliance called BTLHOOTOWRAOOL or the Beat the Living Hell Out of the Ones Who Ruined All Of Our Lives (i had to revise it, so that i could make it clean) we could do to them what theyve done to mark and ryan

I would love to join... Where do i sign:D

Yes, it may have messed with there Real lives, but ive never given up on anything my life, i dont see why you have to give up on it, yeah somone fucked your shit up, yeah they shouldnt have, but they did, find out who did it, mess em up, and go on living your life, and enjoying what you do. Oviously you have somthing good going on here, i dont see why you would want to let it go, if it had anything to do with AOL, F*CK EM. AOl sucks and everyone knows it, everyone uses AIM because its easy and you can do shit with it know cause of what youve made, DEADAIM is good, but not half as good as AIM+ was. if you put tabed windows on AIM+ no one could touch it. Please dun Give up.

We, the loyal users of AIM+ stand behind you 120% and will help you if you need help. just ask us

[border9]

anyone who thinks AOL DOS attacked Big-O is, to be blunt, clueless. I'm sure one of the biggest ISP's in the world is going to do a DOS attack on someone...are you kidding me?

Good call lol, I highly dubt that AOL hand anything to do with this, it was some punk ass bitch that has way to much fuckin time on there hands, excuse my langue, but ive been waiting for the website to come up for 3 days and this shit happens, its like WTF

Good Luck

[border9]

I just have one last thing to say... F*CK YOU hackers.

For the record, whomever was doing this was NOT a hacker.

Mark, Ryan, myself, and countless others are hackers. Hackers would never do such a thing.
Hacker Definition is the correct, and proper, definition for a hacker. Be sure and read the last sentence in #8. A Cracker is NOT a hacker. Feel free to do your own search, even on something as simple as Yahoo! you will find that definition to be the standard. The media has distorted the image of true hackers, please do not fall prey to it.

White hat? Black hat?
Me, I wear a gray hat..and refuse to work on a RedHat (Slackware and Open are the preferred.)

-=Me

I agree, Hackers dont do shit like this, A "Hacker" is somone thst Reserches, moves in and out, doent destroy, or takeover. Somone that doesnt do harm apon somone elses hard work for shits and giggles, and always has a reason for what they do. So if a "Hacker" did this, then Ryan/and or Mark must have pissed somone off real bad for them to fuck with them this way. Know if somone did this for shits and giggles they should die of ganarea and rote in hell excuse the spelling im tired

[border9]

you can not clone one deadaim when you have ME (which unforchly I have and ME SUCKS ASS I WANT XP ON THIS COMPUTER). plus it does not run like aim+. it fucks with aim. It doe not have has many opintions as AIM plus has. It changes the aim file complately. AIM+ ran out side of aim so it was still posible to run noraml aim

Really? Deadaim changes the executable of AIM or something?!!

yeah it fucks with it. it not the samie aim. like god forbid you like the ads you could not put them back on. all the stuff that aim+ you could disable it will do that but it will not let you undisable them plus you can not run aim like normal aim it always will be run with deadaim

Ok, say you hate those fuckin AIM ads, what else do you have to use, if you dont have aim 4.8, you have to use somthing eh, Dead aim gets rid of them, and ive been useing hte fuckin thing, and it hasnt given me any shit yet. so put up with it till you can get somthing better, or atleast till we talk mark and ryan into not giving up on AIM +

Love, peace, and chicken Grease w00t w00t