no aim is completely different. its the same as iming someone, but that person has tob e your buddy in order for you to chat with them. so like if you sign up for aim, you make a screename. and then you tell your friends what your screename is and then they'll tell you theirs so you can just add them and then you guys will be able to im whenever your on. but if someone does happen to know your screename without you telling them, they can still im you but you have the power of blocking the im if you don't know who the person is.