Creating Your iChat ID

[IJ Reilly]

I am in the process of setting up iChat on my spousal unit's iMac. I've already created a Jabber account, using her gmail address. That seems to work fine. Now I'd like to add an AIM account. When I click on "Get an iChat Account..." in the Account Setup window, I am directed to the page:

https://myinfo.apple.com/cgi-bin/We...createacctype=lite&userid=dmac&localang=en_US

It was my understanding that this signup gets you an AIM account, but it from the first line on the page, it seems to assume that you're using .Mac (even more oddly, since .Mac doesn't actually exist any longer).

What am I missing here? Aren't AIM, MobileMe and .Mac accounts the same for purposes of iChat?

 

[Aniday]

Just go to aim.com and set up an AIM account there.

I saved you the trouble: https://reg.my.screenname.aol.com/_...=/BcAG0nC2uMAAK9OAKTKa0nC2x8IFLu0omkmtdMAAA==

Once you're done just create an AIM account in iChat and log in. Should work fine.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Thanks, yes, I know I can do that. But I would still like to know if the Apple method produces the same result.

 

[ghking]

no it doesnt. when you have ichat make one, it would set you up a .mac account, not an AIM screen name. You have to do that through the AIM web site which theres a link to in IJ Reilly's previous post.

and yes .mac doesnt exist anymore apple needs to fix that

 

[craig1410]

no it doesnt. when you have ichat make one, it would set you up a .mac account, not an AIM screen name. You have to do that through the AIM web site which theres a link to in IJ Reilly's previous post.

and yes .mac doesnt exist anymore apple needs to fix that

You can still set up an account using .mac as I did this recently when the AIM website wasn't working.

Craig.

 

[baseballdude345]

Yea, all you need to do is set up an AIM account with AIM.com You can just go to aim.com and sign up for free. Your username will be your aim account. In iChat when selecting the type of acc make sure it is an aim acc and not a mobile me or .mac acc. good luck

 

[IJ Reilly]

So, AIM, .Mac and MobileMe accounts are compatible with each other for purposes of iChat, but Jabber is not. Is that correct?

Is a .mac account for iChat free? Apple's web page does not say.

Sorry if these questions seems basic. I have searched extensively for a clear answers and found none. Maybe iChat would be used by more people if setting it up was easier.

 

[ravenvii]

So, AIM, .Mac and MobileMe accounts are compatible with each other for purposes of iChat, but Jabber is not. Is that correct?

Basically, yes. Jabber and AIM are different protocols. Examples of other protocols are MSN and Yahoo.

@mac.com and @me.com usernames are just AIM usernames with @mac.com/@me.com added to the username you provide.

Is a .mac account for iChat free? Apple's web page does not say.

For iChat purposes only, yes it is free. You don't get the .Mac (now MobileMe) features.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Excellent explanation -- thank you!