Can't change my status on message on ML

Lucas879 wrote:

I do not have AIM.

Let me say this again, in a different way.

if you are coming from ichat, and you used to just "use" ichat with your apple id, the only way you were doing that is through AOL Instant Messenger's servers. This was before imessages was available or even known.

Are you referring to a time when you used to be able to log into ichat with your apple id, and use it?

if so, simply take my word, that you do have aim and that Messages supports AIM like it supports Gtalk, Jabber (facebook!! and others), AIM, Bonjour and Yahoo!.

If you are wondering where your buddy list is and all your saved status things are, then you had been signing into AIM all along on iChat and need to do so again in Messages to get back your former setup.

If you never had your apple id setup in ichat:

then you can do so with AIM, in which you will be able to use the feature you are asking about which is the Status. Just like Softwater shows, you can be online in messages, you just need to be logged into anything other then iMessages. To set that up, simply use your apple id to log into AIM. Other users that are using AIM can then Share screens with you, see your status, three way video chat, and three way audio chat. You can also set your status with a custom message when you log into AIM with your Apple ID in Messages.

I hope this has helped you.

Let me say this again, in a different way.

The user experience here is surprisingly un-Apple like.

Out of the box, after configuring w/iCloud info during ML install, Messages shows only the one iMessages account and the disabled Bonjour acct, and I am unable to make any changes to my Status. The menu icon shows "Status: Offline" and I can't select any of the online/offline green/red message choices. The "Messages" window has _no_ status indication in the bottom of the left side panel.

There are none of the usual iChat/AIM features, and Apple Help confirms that:

"iMessage doesn’t use online status. When you send someone a message in iMessage, the person will receive it if iMessage is

enabled and he or she has an Internet connection."

BUT, in the very next paragraph, Apple Help goes on to state:

"Unless your status is set to Offline when you quit Messages, when someone sends you a message, Messages opens and displays the message."

This would certainly suggest I should have the choice of my Status setting, allowing for background receiving of iMessages.

Of course if I make a new AIM based account (using the same AppleID as my iMessages account), everything there works as it used to. But would my grandmother know that? Understand that?

Something's not right about this is behaving here (clean install on dedicated test volume).

David Schwartz5 wrote:

Let me say this again, in a different way.

The user experience here is surprisingly un-Apple like.

Out of the box, after configuring w/iCloud info during ML install, Messages shows only the one iMessages account and the disabled Bonjour acct, and I am unable to make any changes to my Status. The menu icon shows "Status: Offline" and I can't select any of the online/offline green/red message choices. The "Messages" window has _no_ status indication in the bottom of the left side panel.

This is as expected.

When you use your phone to make a text message, there is no way to know if the person you are texting is "Online".

Apple chose to make iMessages act more like text messaging then a full blown Instant Messenging client.

iMessages doesn't use: Status indicators, Video Chat, Audio Chat, or Screen Sharing.

But would my grandmother know that? Understand that?

If she reads how to get the status indicators back, like I describe, and sounds like you have done (did I help you?) she will be able to use AIM. If she just wants to use iMessages, she should think about using it like a CellPhone would with Text Messaging.

Sorry you felt my candor was untoward for Apple but I'm not an employee, I'm a user, basing my help on the great support that apple has given me in the past, and returning said support in the hopes that someone might figure something out that they didn't know.

I'm just trying to help.

Sorry you felt my candor was untoward for Apple...

Oh my, Smoke, I'm sorry you interpertered that commant as some reflection on your messageboard contributions. By "here" I ment the experience of using iMessage, not what we fellow users are getting from each other here on the board.

That a clean ML install with an iCloud/AppleID entered during the intall process results in this situation (iMessage account only, no "iChat" functionality, and ZERO explination or description of what's going on) is not how most Apple hardware and software behaves.

And that still leaves the mystery of the second Help paragraph, suggesting that iMessages received on a ML machine (with iMessage enabled but Messsages not running) will transparently launch the app (a la Facetime) and display the message _only_ if the program was last quit in a state other then "Offline." Will my ML machine provide that functionality if I can't change the status before I quit? Or is it just poorly worded online help?

I'm also getting different behavior between the beta (on Lion) and my ML release, so I'm not yet convinced what I am experiencing is what others are seeing (or should be seeing).

I think, the "availability" button will come into effect when iOS 6 will be released. At that time, iOS devices will be able to have a availablility status and so will your Mountain Lion station...

correct me if I am wrong...