Welcome!

Welcome to the ever-growing community of Netscape AOL Instant Messenger users!  This exciting and easy-to-use instant communications service allows you to see when your Instant Messenger buddies are online and then communicate with them instantly -- no matter how they access the Internet. 

When an Instant Messenger buddy sends you an instant message, you'll get the message on a small pop-up screen, and you can respond instantly.  It's that easy.  With Netscape AOL Instant Messenger V3.0, you get the added communication features of a user directory as well as chat!  But, just like any terrific communications service -- the telephone, for example -- there are bound to be pranksters who may try to contact and bother you.  And, because AOL wants your Instant Messenger experience to be the best it can be, we have designed a special feature for you to use against such pranksters.  In the event you do get a crank instant message, you can use our "Neighborhood Watch" feature to "hang up."  This feature empowers you to prevent the crank instant messenger or chat user from contacting you again for a period of time and also to warn others about him. This way, you can control with whom you communicate on Netscape AOL Instant Messenger.  For your information, AOL doesn't monitor the service or read, record or retain any messages, so if you want AOL to know about a crank instant message, you'll need to save and send the message to AOL.  While AOL expects that Neighborhood Watch will empower you against most crank instant messengers, chatters or directory listers, AOL may also decide to terminate serious offenders.

Now that we've explained how the Netscape AOL Instant Messenger service works, let's get you registered.  Read the registration agreement below, and when you've agreed to it, you'll be all set to join the Netscape AOL Instant Messenger Community!

Registration Agreement for Netscape AOL Instant Messenger V3.0

By clicking below, you warrant that you are eighteen years or older and agree to use the Netscape AOL Instant Messenger software ("Software") and service ("Service") as provided in this Registration Agreement.  

AOL may, in its sole discretion and at any time, modify or discontinue the Service; limit, terminate or suspend your use of the Service; and/or with 30 days advance notice, introduce charges for the use of the Service or make changes to this Registration Agreement.  To terminate your registration, simply discontinue using the Service.

You understand that you use the Service at your own risk and, that in general, AOL provides no assistance other than the information posted on the AOL Web site (including an AOL contact number) located at http://www.aol.com/aim/help.html.  AOL is in no way liable for any claims arising from your use of the Service.

The AOL.COM privacy policy governs this Service.  You can view this policy at http://www.aol.com/info/privacy.html. 

The Service contains a Neighborhood Watch feature which allows Service users from the Internet, in their sole discretion, to assess "warnings" against other Service users.  These "warnings" may limit your use of the Service.  AOL is not responsible for the imposition of "warnings," or for the availability to other Service users of such warnings and information about your Service session length, tenure on the Service, any information that appears in your or another's member directory listing or any third party's use of your or another's listing.  You understand that Service users from AOL may have other or additional Netscape AOL Instant Messenger features that are not available to Service users from the Internet, e.g., a doorbell tool that allows them to decide whether to accept a message from other AIM users.

AOL grants to you a non-exclusive, limited license to use the Software, pursuant to the terms hereof, to connect to the Service only, and you may not modify, reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software.

THE SERVICE AND SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, UNLESS SUCH WARRANTIES ARE LEGALLY INCAPABLE OF EXCLUSION.  AOL'S ENTIRE LIABILITY AND YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY WITH RESPECT TO USE OF THE SERVICE AND THE SOFTWARE SHALL BE THE REPLACEMENT OF ANY SOFTWARE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.  NEITHER AOL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DISTRIBUTORS, SUPPLIERS, DIRECTORS, NOR AGENTS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOST PROFITS, IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IN THE EVENT SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, IN SUCH STATES OR JURISDICTIONS, AOL'S LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

If any part of the Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be construed to reflect, the parties' original intent, and the remaining portions remain in full force and effect.  The laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, excluding its conflicts-of-law rules, govern the Agreement and your registration, and you expressly agree that exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or dispute arising from the use of the Service or Software resides in the courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia.