Obituary: AOL's AIM 1997-2017

AIM, age 20, of America Online fame will be "put out to pasture" tomorrow (December 15, 2017), after 20 years of loving service to the internet.

When I'm at work and Gchat goes out Im about to be like 'whatup SmarterChild'? The OG Siri. #flashbackfriday pic.twitter.com/eWRTaNWhFs

— Leah Bishop (@lbishop404) September 25, 2015

Memorials are expected to take place across the internet as millennials mourn the passing of their first beloved chat service. Before there was Facebook Messenger, iMessage, SnapChat, or even Instagram, everyone started with AIM. 

Some users will mourn the amount of time they spent painstakingly editing their away messages. Others will fondly recall their usernames for the chat service like "XOXJoeysBabyXOX" and "ROxYSurFerGirl121589." Others will recall the courage the chat service gave them to ask the girl down the street to prom (you know, because rejection on AIM was much easier to handle in 2001). 

The @hasanminhaj Netflix special is ---- and I miss using AIM too bro. Away message game was too strong. pic.twitter.com/h2T1AD9KqK

— Vincent Apostol (@vinceypoo) May 26, 2017

One of AIM's most popular children, SmarterChild, was laid to rest in 2007.

SmarterChild is Siri's dad tbh so happy Father's Day to him pic.twitter.com/rPkImvBzUc

— Signe Pierce (@sigggnasty) June 22, 2015

AIM has remained online since then. Though, very few have used the once popular service for much of the last decade. In fact, in recent years AIM has looked more like that once-bustling '80's bar at the end of your street that is now always empty on a Saturday night. 

Users will be able to log into their Aol Instant Messenger accounts to tour their buddy lists and recall their genius away messages (probably featuring Backstreet Boys lyrics) through the end of the day on Thursday. After that, the chat service will be laid to rest in a private ceremony. 

G2G. TTYL, AIM!