has your AIM account ever been associated with an AOL account?

yes, the virus has nothing to do with your web browser. In fact, its not a vulnerability in the AIM software, the vulnerability is that people are stupid enough to download executables and run them off of sites. AIM just happens to be the transporting agent in this case.

No, it has not been released

Expect 6.0 in the next few months
With it will be an actual plug-in API, which I’m sure will please third-party developers to no end

As for the look, AOL has always liked a simple interface that anybody can understand

Try this:
Find the SN of somebody you can’t send messages to.
Call/e-mail/whatever and get them to send an IM or two to you
Close out the window and see if you can send an IM to them now.

If you can, your SN is being suspected of Spamming 🙁
This happens by starting too many messages with people, without them responding

This was possible up to about a year ago, when AOL removed the command from their protocol. So, no, it is impossible at this time.

try runabot