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iChat online on two computers at once Apps
AOL has added a new feature which allows you to use iChat on two computers at the same time! If you're online on both computers, they will both get new messages. If one computer is away, then other online messages will only reach the online one. I use this to have my home computer as a communications center. It's always away in iChat and I can connect to it using VNC to review older messages.

When I'm at the university I launch iChat on my PowerBook and get new messages there instead. I haven't tried if this works on more than two computers.

[robg adds: This is definitely a new and nicely appreciated feature; it used to be whenever I opened my laptop, my desktop iChat would disconnect. Testing it now, they both stay connected. It's a bit odd, as the laptop won't see what I type in the desktop chat window, but it will show the other participant's response there.]
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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: seven5 on Dec 04, '03 11:19:46AM

well i think this new feature stinks, and apple needs to get off their butts fast and update iChat to make this an option. Instead of getting logged off, now you get a message from AOL, its annoying. And personally if i forget to turn off iChat at work, i liked the security of it getting logged off when i logged on at home, but now my messages are being recieved by anything that is open.

I hate this feature.


So where is the hint on BLOCKING this



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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: mcroft on Dec 04, '03 11:43:29AM

ssh MYPOWERBOOK
killall iChat



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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: CaptCosmic on Dec 04, '03 12:29:43PM
My solution for this annoying "feature" was to simply set up a cron task to take iChat offline every evening after I leave work. Add the following line to your crontab (crontab -e):

15 18 * * 1-5 osascript -e 'tell application "iChat" to set status to offline'

Now, iChat will be automatically taken offline every weekday afternoon at 6:15PM. Useful since i tend to forget to log it out when I leave for the day.

---
Capt Cosmic

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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: BlakeyRat on Dec 04, '03 04:26:16PM

I concur. This is not a feature, this is a BUG.

I accidentially left my work machine on over the weekend, with AIM logged in, and went home. Every time my home computer was AFK, the message would be sent to my work computer! As AIM didn't provide *any* way of disconnecting the remote computer, I didn't see important messages for DAYS.

Bah. I wouldn't even mind it at all if they provided a "disconnect remote client" link somewhere.



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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: mcroft on Dec 04, '03 11:31:12AM
AOL sends the following system message:
AOL System Msg (10:19:01): Your screen name (screenname@mac.com) has signed in from another location. This screen name is currently signed in at 3 locations. Click here for more information.
This is very useful. Going to use it to let me transfer clippings between my desktop machine and my server.

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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: shneusk on Dec 04, '03 11:53:38AM
This sounds like it's almost what I want. I leave my desktop on all the time on AIM and I like to check in from other places to see my messages and to reply to them. My solution is to use naim, written by a mega smart kid from my school. It's the only console *nix aim client I've found. I run it in screen:
screen naim
then login to my mac via ssh and run
screen -x
to share the screen session. The only downside to naim is no ability to check away message (it uses TOC) and you obviously can't see buddy icons.

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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: britrock on Dec 04, '03 11:55:36AM

I actually like this new "feature", because I often leave my work computer logged in. I am getting REALLY sick of the message though, and you can't block it. If anyone can come up with a way to prevent the message please tell us.



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I thought it was a bug.
Authored by: Loren on Dec 04, '03 04:50:37PM

I stubled across this the other day, when I ran AIM while I was connected via iChat. I was expecting iChar to be disconnected from the AIM system, and when it wasn't I thought I needed to reboot or something.

Funny.

This might be handy. I use Fast User switching a lot, as one user, to manage different workflows. iChat disconnects, but AIM doesn't. So, now, if I launch AIM before switching, I'll stay connected and be able to hear if I have a new message in my other account. Cool!



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Pssst, this doesn't just apply to iChat
Authored by: d00d on Dec 04, '03 06:26:58PM

This works for nearly all AIM clients (I haven't tried any TOC based clients). I find it handy, but then again, I also put up an away message before I leave.



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iChat online on two computers at once
Authored by: RiotNrrrd on Dec 11, '03 11:50:28AM
If one computer is away, then other online messages will only reach the online one. I use this to have my home computer as a communications center. It's always Away in iChat and I can connect to it using VNC to review older messages.
Old iChat conversations are stored in ~/Documents/iChats in files named (as of iChatAV 2.0) in a format of:
<Username> on YYYY-MM-DD at HH.MM.chat

You can SSH into your remote computer, cd to ~/Documents/iChats, and do

strings - "<Username> on YYYY-MM-DD at HH.MM.chat"
to see the old conversations without needing VNC or Timbuktu Pro.

I like to be able to use strings and grep on old iChat convos, especially if I'm at work and someone sent me a URL at home (or vice-versa) that I can't remember; e.g. something like

strings - "<Username>*.chat" | grep ttp:
(Personally, though, I agree with the original poster - I don't like this new "feature" of AIM.)

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