Barry Appelman @ AOL Instant Messenger: The CTO Who Secretly Created Buddy Lists

<p>When you instant message someone -- using text, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, WhatsApp, Slack, or any other instant messaging service -- you assume the person you're contacting will see your message soon because most people keeps their phones nearby and have quick access to the Internet. But that wasn't always the case.</p><p>In the early days of the Web, users weren't expected to be connected 24/7 like they are now. If you wanted to reach someone quickly, an instant message might not be the best choice if the person wasn't online. But how would you know?</p><p>That's the problem Barry Appelman solved when he created Buddy Lists inside of AOL. It was a way for users to know who among their connections was online and, if they were, message them instantly. The result became AOL Instant Messenger -- otherwise known as AIM -- the service that ushered in the age of instant messaging.</p><p>For a complete transcript of the episode, <a href="https://latonas.com/blog/web-masters-episode-44-barry-appelman/">click here</a>.</p>