Open AIM Developer Program

Gregory Cypes, Sr. Software Engineer

AIM

Quick Review of the Open AIM Program

An engineering-driven effort at AOL to position AIM as a premier "Web 2.0" platform
A comprehensive set of both client and host APIs, targeted at different types of applications
Enhance the value of the AIM network by allowing developers to innovate on our platform
Add value to other AOL properties by allowing them to leverage AIM
Make it known that AOL is interested in openness and building platforms
Help 3rd party developers to derive revenue from successful innovations on the AIM platform

The Open AIM Platform consists of...

AIM Web Services
AIM Developer SDKs
   - AIM Custom Clients
   - AIM 6.0 & Open AIM Client Plugins
   - AIM Bots
AIM URLs

AIM Web Services

AIM Web Service features...
   - Basic/Detailed Presence
   - Buddy List
   - Expressions
   - IM
   - Away Messages and Profiles
   - Location
AIM Whimsicals are widgets that you can add to your web page with just a few lines of HTML
   - Support Custom Themes
Build your own web IM experience by calling web IM's URL based API
Results are returned in JavaScript/JSON, or XML

AIM Web Services

Demo

The AIM Developer SDK

Core AIM technology library, supports all AIM functionality
High Level COM API
Platform supports for...
   - Windows
   - Mac OS X
   - Linux
   - Windows Mobile

Uses proven third-party technology
   - NSS (Mozilla) for security
   - sipXtapi (Pingtel) or RTC (Microsoft) for audio/video
Used internally at AOL for AIM 6.0 and AOL Open Ride
Usable by Java via Java wrapper

Open AIM Supported Functionality

Presence/Buddy List	File Transfer	IM Sessions/Chat rooms
Image Transfer	IM Sessions/Chat rooms	Image Transfer
SMS/IM Forwarding	Buddy List Transfer	Expressions and emoticons
File Sharing	Away messages and profiles	PC-PC audio calls and conferences
Expressions and emoticons	File Sharing	Privacy Management
PC-PSTN audio calls	Preference Management	PC-PC video calls
Presence lookup from email	Military-grade encryption of all communications	Email and toaster alerts
Custom presence info	AIM location services	ICQ/federated interop
AIM directory info	Location Services	Report spam/Notify AOL

And Introducing...

Custom Sessions and AIM Widgets

Custom Sessions
   - Allows for peer-2-peer connections for custom data
   - Send text, answer-response, or stream data

AIM Widgets
   - Build plugins for AIM using Javascript and Boxely UI Toolkit.
   - Currently support in AIM Lite, future support for flagship AIM
   - Widgets follow the Firefox plugin model for installation and management

AIM Custom Clients

Standalone AIM applications built on top of Open AIM
Allows for creation of specialized clients
Automatic support for AIM plugins
Can be deployed as a server
Custom Clients deployed in the field today
   - SuperComputer International's Playlinc client (gamer's client)
   - Web Ex's AIM Pro client (Enterprise client)
   - Doppleganger's PCD Lounge (music lovers experience)
   - AIM Lite (simple client experience)
   - AIM Express (Web based client)
   - And more to come...

Live Coding Demo

AIM Plugins

Code that is loaded inside the AIM application when it signs onto the AIM service
In-proc COM objects, can be written using standard tools in any language that supports COM
Full support for Visual Studio.net 2005 and WPF/XAML
Full Open AIM API exposed to plugins; in general, anything AIM can do, a plugin can do
AIMCC responsible for loading plugins, so plugins can function in any AIMCC-based application
Can interact with the host application UI; e.g. adding commands to AIM 6.0's "Actions" menu, Buddy List right-click menu and IM Window.

AIM Widgets

Available for AIM Lite (http://x.aim.com/laim); Coming soon for AIM 6.x
In-proc COM objects, can be written using standard tools in any language that supports COM
Uses JavaScript and Boxely UI technology for rapid development and deployment of plugins
Widgets have full access to the Open AIM API
Widgets are zip files that contain:
   - JavaScript
   - Manifest file containing Open AIM key and plugin information
   - Optional Boxely file, if your plugin contains UI

Demo

AIM Location Services

Currently a plugin for AIM 6.0 and Open AIM clients
Opt-In plugin shares location info with users on your buddy list
Integrated with Mapquest's API to plot buddies on the map
First plugin that uses the Boxely engine to render UI
Available via the web APIs - Can be used by cell phones
Set your location outside your client via an AIM Location Web page
Download the plugin:
   http://www.aim.com/windows/plugins.adp

AIM Bots

Bots are automated AIM clients
Typically, writing a bot involves writing a lot of basic stuff for login, authentication, etc, and only basic text functionality supported
With AIMCC, all bot infrastructure is provided; developers can simply focus on their business logic
AccBot shell application loads bot "plugins" that perform the bot functionality
Bots can fully access enhanced IM functionality, including file transfer, audio/video, images
Some ideas:
   - Easy upload of images and podcasts to AOL Journals
   - Send an IM with a location, get back a map
   - Dial-A-Song

AIM URLs

aim: scheme URLs can allow web pages to pass commands to AIM clients
Complements AIM web services
Some examples:
   - aim:addBuddy?screenname=<sn> (adds buddy to buddylist)
   - aim:goIM?screenname=<sn> (brings up IM window)
   - aim:goTalk?screenname=<sn> (brings up Talk window)
   - aim:buddyIcon?src=<url> (sets buddy icon)

Low-tech but simple way to integrate

Keys and Fingerprints

All AIM Developer APIs require keys
Keying allows us to identify who is using our network, and to restrict/deny access if abuse occurs
A key is a unique text string; common practice for Web APIs (Google Search, Google Maps)
Keys for plugins and clients require fingerprints
Fingerprinting prevents unauthorized use of a key
A fingerprint is a SHA-256 hash of a DLL or EXE
AIMCC automatically sends keys and fingerprints to the AIM servers during login
Web service requests include key in the URL

Types of Keys

Separate keys for Web Services, Plugins, and Custom Clients
Plugin and client keys have different "levels"
   - Development key - no fingerprint required, but usage limited to ~200 logins/day
   - Deployment key - fingerprint required, usage limited to ~200K logins/day or 2M logins/month
   - Unlimited key - fingerprint required, no usage limits

Web services keys also have usage limits
Unlimited keys require a business relationship with AOL

Limitations

The API license agreement sets a couple limitations on what you are allowed to do with the API
Spam and other bad behavior prohibited
Development of multiheaded/interop clients is not allowed

AIM Developer Support

SDK includes API documentation and source code for sample AIM clients and plugins
Basic support through AIM Developer forums
Full support available for $

Getting Started

Official site - http://developer.aim.com to get keys and download the SDK
Read the Quickstart guide
Look at the plugin tutorials
Look at the sample code
Look at the interface docs
Let us know what obstacles you ran into

Contact Info

Main AIM Developer Web Page
   - http://developer.aim.com

Main AOL Developer Web Page
   - http://dev.aol.com

Greg's Blog and Info
   - http://journals.aol.com/gregsblog/aimInfo
   - gbcypes@aol.com