@mac.com and @me.com names to end as Valid AIM Names

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Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

@mac.com and @me.com names to end as Valid AIM Names

Hello everyone,

Apple released this Document a little while ago now.

It's title is:-

OS X: Using me.com or mac.com IDs with AIM in iChat requires OS X v10.7.2 or later

The short version seems to be that as Apple IDs they will no longer be working AIM valid Screen Names after the 30th of June 2014

Previously any old @mac.com ID would work as a AIM login whether it had originally been a Paid for Account, one that had Lapsed or the Trial Account during the .Mac period or as an "iChat Name" one that was registered during the MobileMe days.

@me.com names only worked whilst they were paid for, the period your trial was active or at the cross over point with iCloud where they were iCloud issued Names (were "converted" to iCloud).

To work as AIM valid Screen Names the password with Apple had to comply with the 16 Character limit with the AIM Server.

At iChat 6 the App and the names (mainly iCloud linked ones) were subject to the app logging in to both AIM and Apple as a means of verifying the Password.

This continues in Messages.

This did mean that the @mac.com names worked in iChat 5 and earlier as they did not have this iCloud double check as it were.

@me.com and @icloud.com names linked to an iCloud account have never worked in iChat 5 or earlier.

It appears the Apple IDs in question will still function for iMessages, FaceTime and other places you might used - even if not linked to an iCloud account.

It is only as an AIM valid Screen Name that it will stop working.

AIM have been sending reminders to your AIM Screen Name in Messages

The Document implies but does not state that these IDs will work in later version of the OS.

However @mac.com names have never been subject to this double check Login so it seems likely they will fail there as well.

(Same applies to any old @me.com that have never been linked to iCloud.)

It seems that this will standardise which IDs will work and which will not across all version of iChat and Messages to some extent.

The issue being with earlier versions or the OS/ichat that cannot use iCloud issued names and need to register for AIM names instead.

10:26 pm Saturday; June 28, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Posted on Jun 28, 2014 2:26 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,879 points

Jun 28, 2014 2:33 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Ralph,

My apologies, but when I noticed the duplicate topic titles I reported one as a duplicate. I did not notice you posted it until I had just clicked on the button. Too late to stop. The one I reported was not the one in the iChat forum. I'm so sorry for not paying better attention.

Kappy

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Answer 2

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jun 28, 2014 2:40 PM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

Well we still seem to be here at the moment.

I did spot that the info when posting a new Discussion does tell you the number of Followers.

iChat only has 1 which I suspect is myself as it used to be on my custom "Home" page.

Mavericks has apparently got 45.

Just to let you know I also posted the item in Mountain Lion as well.

10:40 pm Saturday; June 28, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,879 points

Jun 28, 2014 4:09 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Saw that one, Ralph. Left it be.

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Answer 4

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jul 1, 2014 12:29 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi,

The date has now passed.

My @mac.com account can no longer log in even in Mavericks (which the Apple Doc suggests it will be able to do)

I see this:-

This is just the Description name I have for this Account and not the full Apple ID.

Bizarrely the @me.com account I have will log in to AIM

8:29 pm Tuesday; July 1, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 5

Defcom-UK

Level 6

15,488 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:42 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

My usual .mac works fine.

My other .mac i had to enable ssl for it to work same for my .me enable ssl

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Answer 6

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:47 PM in response to Defcom-UK

Hi Defcom,

I had not thought of that.

I checked and mine is now the same, logged in with SSL.

However no alerts today from AIM/AOL

I don't have iChat 6/Lion boot to test from for the cross over point between iChat and Messages.

9:47 pm Tuesday; July 1, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 7

Defcom-UK

Level 6

15,488 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:49 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Had an alert today, will check my MacBook on 10.6.

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Answer 8

Defcom-UK

Level 6

15,488 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:54 PM in response to Defcom-UK

All working in 10.6 after changing to ssl.

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Answer 9

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:56 PM in response to Defcom-UK

Thanks for that.

9:56 pm Tuesday; July 1, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 10

Defcom-UK

Level 6

15,488 points

Jul 2, 2014 6:16 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Sorry Ralph that should have been 10.7.5 LIon i have on my MacBook.

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Answer 11

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jul 2, 2014 12:05 PM in response to Defcom-UK

Hi,

I thought it was Lion that you were talking about.

In OS X 10.6.x I have tried changing the port t 443 and Enabling SSL and even changing the Server to api.oscar.aol.com

All I am getting there is it saying I am "Connecting" without making progress.

8:05 pm Wednesday; July 2, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Reply

Answer 12

Jul 3, 2014 7:43 AM in response to Defcom-UK

I have an old mac.com account that stopped working on the current version of Mavericks. I had to both change to SSL and change the server to api.oscar.aol.com. It is now working again.

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Answer 13

Jul 3, 2014 7:59 AM in response to douglsmith

Thanks

On Thursday, July 3, 2014, Apple Support Communities Updates <

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Answer 14

Ralph-Johns-UK Author

Level 9

76,795 points

Jul 3, 2014 12:04 PM in response to douglsmith

Thanks for the extra info.

I am still having an issue with an @mac.com name in Snow Leopard/ iChat 5 (vers 5.0.3)

It hangs for a very long time at "connecting"

8:04 pm Thursday; July 3, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Reply

Answer 15

Jul 3, 2014 12:36 PM in response to douglsmith

Confirmed. OS 10.9.4 here. Lost connectivity associated with mac.com AIM, enabling SSL magically restored me to happyville. Thanks for alerting me to this simple fix (which hopefully will be taken care of in a future update).

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