AIM® IM Robots (AIM Bots)

There I was happily minding my own dang business playing around with Trillian adding some of my ID's from Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ, GTalk (Google Talk) and AIM... and then AIM botted me?!

AOL System Msg: AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List.

AOL System Msg: Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More)

I found MovieFone and Shopping Buddy had taken up residence on my Buddys list... most annoying. As an extreme AIM newbie I was somewhat perplexed... had I broken it? had I forgotten to uncheck something? had I messed up my registration? had I locked myself once again into AIM hell?

I was most grateful I only had two as it appears AIM currently has the follow IM Robots (Bots) Moviefone, ShoppingBuddy, TysonPowerPlates, Advance4Comfort, AOL YellowPages, WSJ, FFXI, MillionaireIM, AOLSafetyBot and Latest MLB Info.. and more grateful that it appears the bots are easy enough to remove...

a very simple and painless procedure using an AIM ID on my Mac....

AIM® for Mac Version: 4.7
click the Bot concerned
hit Delete

for the Windows version I was greatly perplexed... I'm using AIM® for Windows v5.9.3861 and based on the AOL System message it was simply a matter of To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! so right click I did... but where was the oh so simple delete? *blush* I found Block Buddy.. but where was delete? I couldn't locate it, still can't *blush* I ended up left clicking the bot then selected Setup (Edit Buddy List) > Buddy List Setup > Left click bot > Delete. I got a little carried away and went as far as deleting the category AIM bots and immediately got notification of the removal...

AOL System Msg: The following bots are no longer available and have been removed from your buddy list: moviefone, shoppingbuddy. To find out more about bots, go to http://aimtoday.aol.com/aimbots

AOL System Msg: The group, aim bots, has been deleted from your buddy list. This group contained bots, screen names that provide automated responses. To find out more about bots, go to http://aimtoday.aol.com/aimbots

Thank the gods! Now I'm know I'm one of the lucky ones as I've heard some people are having a real struggle as they have removed their newly acquired bot buddies and/or category only to find on next login they reappear.. poor them :( If you can help with more AIM bot information (or where the heck my right click > delete button is... or how I remove the AIM Bot category using Mac *blush*) then feel free to swing by Our Forum and join in the thread AIM bots been automaticly added

Oh, and AIM is asking for your thoughts on their new bots... they have posted the following email address megabotfeedback@aol.com so go for it, let them know the good, the bad or the ugly... my feedback was direct and to the point...
Dear AIM
nice idea as an opt it....
... but forcing bot buddies one me...
what were you thinking...?
Cheers
Bee :)

AIM® IM Robots (AIM Bots) Links:
Homepage ~ http://aimtoday.aol.com/aimbots/
Email ~ megabotfeedback@aol.com
Fun With AIM > AIM Bots > Terms and Conditions of Use ~ http://aimtoday.aol.com/features/main_redesign.adp?fid=tos
Fun With AIM > AIM Bots > Privacy Policy ~ http://aimtoday.aol.com/features/main_redesign.adp?fid=privacy