Installing the AOL Instant Messenger (SM) Software

The AOL Instant Messenger (SM) software is distributed as a Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) file.  Installation instructions for RPM, TGZ on Slackware, DPKG, SUN, and TGZ (all other OS's) are as follows:

RPM:

  1. Download AIM onto your system.
  2. Log in as root.
  3. On the command line, type the rpm command (example, rpm -i aim-1.1.41-1.i386.rpm where 1.1.41-1 represents the AIM version and release numbers.

By default, the system installs AIM in the /Application/Internet group.

To install a higher version of AIM, use the rpm upgrade option (for example, rmp -U aim-1.1-9.i386.rpm).  To run AIM, log in as a regular user, and type "/usr/bin/aim" on the command line.

TGZ on Slackware:

  1. Download AIM onto your system.
  2. Log in as root.
  3. On the command line, type the installpkg command (example, installpkg aim-1.1.41-1.i386.tgz, where 1.1.41-1 represents the AIM version and release numbers.
  4. To run AIM, log in as a regular user, and type "/usr/bin/aim" on the command line.

DPKG:

  1. Download AIM onto your system.
  2. Log in as root.
  3. On the command line, type the dpkg command (example, dpkg -i aim-1.1.41-1.i386.deb, where 1.1.41-1 represents the AIM version and release numbers.
  4. To run AIM, log in as a regular user, and type "/usr/bin/aim" on the command line.

SUN:

  1. Download AIM to your system.
  2. Log in as root3.
  3. On the command line, type these commands: gunzip AOLaim.tar.gz; tar -xf AOLaim.tar.
  4. Type pkgadd -d.
  5. To run as a regular user, type /opt/AOLaim/bin/aim.

To uninstall, log in as root2, and type pkgrm AOLaim on the command line.

TGZ (All other OS's)

  1. Log in as root.
  2. Type cd /.
  3. Download AIM onto your system.
  4. On the command line, type the gunzip command (example, gunzip -c aim-1.1.41-1.i386.tgz | tar xvf -, where 1.1.41-1 represents the AIM version and release numbers.
  5. To run AIM, log in as a regular user, and type "/usr/bin/aim" on the command line.

Note: If you do not want to use the command line option to install AIM, you can use any RPM software such as the Red Hat gnorpm tool.