Read the story about AOL Instant Messenger shutting down -- and learn if it's true or an urban legend
Is AOL Instant Messenger Shutting Down?
Dear America Online and Instant Message users,
Our America Online staff is planning to take away our Instant messages by July 14,1999. If you want to keep your Instant Messages free of charge, send this mail to everyone you know. It will be used as a petition. Each person you send this to, counts as one "signature." If this petition gets 100,000 "signatures," our Instant Messages will still be available at no extra charge. If America Online does not receive 100,000 "signatures," Instant Messages will still be available, but only to those who pay an extra 15.00 dollars a month. If you do not care about not getting any future Instant Messages, please send this for the sake of those who want to keep their Instant Messages free of charge. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Robert McDoggan
America Online
Assistance Director
Editors Note: It is technically impossible to track forwarded email and no company does business this way.