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Within almost every packet sent over channel 2, packets contain a SNAC (Simple
Network Atomic Communication). There is always either one or zero of these contained in a packet, and therefore they do not contain (nor do they need to) a length.
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The OSCAR protocol can be used separately from AOL's network. In fact, AOL expands on the general concept of OSCAR, adding systems for service-side buddy lists and icons, as well as features for file transfers using
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128:, and build their own custom clients, which connect over the OSCAR protocol. They had not, at that point, however, released any information about the protocol itself.
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A special Frame Layer
Protocol (FLAP) container encloses every packet. It carries information about packet size, channel, and its number in sequence.
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On March 5, 2008, AOL released portions of the OSCAR protocol documentation. Google also provided the ability to sign in to AIM network via the
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All packets sent over OSCAR are encapsulated in the same manner. All 16-bit integers sent over the network are unsigned, and big endian (see
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82:, and Cerulean Studios) from implementing compatible clients for their proprietary messaging systems. In 2002, AOL signed a contract with
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Despite its name, the specifications for the protocol remain proprietary. AOL has gone to great lengths to keep competitors (namely
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application. This allowed iChat users to interact with ICQ and AIM users directly. The deal also permitted users of Apple's
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A request ID, this can be random but clients cannot send this with the
Highest Order Bit set.
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to the AIM network using their .Mac email addresses. (This has carried over to Apple's
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and launched a developer website, allowing developers to build plugins for
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151:.) This is the same for 32-bit integers, and 8-bit integers (or bytes.)
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Incremented by 1 each time a packet is sent. Wraps to 0 after FFFF.
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570:"AOL vs. Trillian continues | News | Geek.com"
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Always equal to 2A. It marks the start of the packet.
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1 = login, 2 = SNAC layer, 3 = error, 4 = disconnect
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and implemented by a number of third-party clients.
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Instant messaging and presence information protocol
1464:Comparison of user features of messaging platforms
105:As of 2009, large parts of the protocol had been
550:"AOL blocks Trillian IM access • The Register"
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627:Official OSCAR-Documentation (Requires Login)
8:
1428:List of defunct instant messaging platforms
650:FAIM: FAIM/AIM/OSCAR Protocol Specification
633:UnOfficial AIM/OSCAR Protocol Specification
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514:Comparison of instant messaging protocols
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509:Comparison of instant messaging clients
120:On March 6, 2006, AOL released the AIM
7:
629:- No longer available (12.07.2010)
234:Size does not include FLAP header
14:
601:. AOL. 2008-03-05. Archived from
293:The specific type of the packet
645:Archived Official Documentation
279:The general type of the packet
1:
595:"FLAP - Frame Layer Protocol"
67:instant messaging system and
1837:Instant messaging protocols
1853:
1070:Windows Messenger service
1702:Community Leader Program
63:. It was used by AOL's
1636:ART image file format
599:AOL Developer Network
424:Instant Messenger Lib
262:Type/Size (in bytes)
175:Type/Size (in bytes)
1509:Presence information
58:presence information
214:Number in sequence
1753:Neverwinter Nights
1322:Skype for Business
1169:Facebook Messenger
965:Facebook Messenger
638:2006-08-13 at the
525:messaging protocol
521:, AOL's free but
469:2011-04-12 at the
135:client built into
107:reverse-engineered
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54:instant messaging
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572:. Archived from
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404:retro-aim-server
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143:Packet structure
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1102:Single protocol
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1347:XMPP (Jabber)
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605:on 2008-03-08
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576:on 2016-09-18
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529:TOC2 protocol
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1806:TOC protocol
1763:
1751:
1671:Acquisitions
1650:
1519:SMS language
1479:File sharing
1469:Contact list
1144:HCL Sametime
1050:VK Messenger
920:IRC Networks
807:
607:. Retrieved
603:the original
598:
589:
578:. Retrieved
574:the original
564:
555:The Register
553:
544:
519:TOC protocol
464:TwistedWords
244:
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40:
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32:
28:
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23:
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18:
1801:Socialthing
1796:Singingfish
1444:Backchannel
1332:Thunderbird
880:Google Meet
875:Google Chat
435:Objective-C
380:QOscar (Qt)
335:Programming
314:Request ID
155:FLAP header
133:Google Talk
94:service to
84:Apple, Inc.
51:proprietary
1826:Categories
1707:CompuServe
1646:One by AOL
1484:FirstClass
1355:ChatSecure
1295:Miranda NG
1179:Retroshare
1093:comparison
970:The Palace
960:Mattermost
955:Marco Polo
738:Retroshare
697:comparison
609:2009-11-01
580:2018-02-05
536:References
523:deprecated
483:Net::OSCAR
273:Foodgroup
228:Data size
149:Endianness
126:AIM Triton
102:service.)
31:ystem for
1786:Radio KOL
1732:GameDaily
1692:Alto Mail
1631:AOLserver
1327:Telepathy
1270:Centericq
1134:Gadu-Gadu
930:KakaoTalk
693:Protocols
495:WebIcqPro
440:LibOrange
352:libpurple
241:SNAC data
76:Microsoft
1742:Hometown
1722:FanHouse
1717:Explorer
1661:Ultravox
1603:Websites
1544:Web chat
1529:U-Report
1499:Hall.com
1494:Fuze Box
1474:Emoticon
1449:Chat log
1437:See also
1337:Trillian
1317:QIP 2010
1290:Messages
1224:WhatsApp
1204:Telegram
1184:Ricochet
1174:Palringo
1164:Linphone
1129:FaceTime
1109:Baidu Hi
1060:WhatsApp
1040:Trillian
1015:Telegram
1000:Snapchat
975:Palringo
910:iMessage
860:DingTalk
833:Services
636:Archived
503:See also
467:Archived
392:OscarLib
356:GnomeICU
337:language
317:int32/4
304:int16/2
290:int16/2
276:int16/2
265:Remarks
252:Offset (
231:int16/2
217:int16/2
200:Channel
186:FLAP ID
178:Remarks
165:Offset (
100:MobileMe
61:protocol
39:tion in
1737:Gravity
1727:Ficlets
1624:Related
1610:Aol.com
1459:Circuit
1454:Chatbot
1421:Defunct
1380:Tkabber
1300:Nimbuzz
1265:BitlBee
1189:Session
1139:GroupMe
1124:Element
1089:Clients
1030:Threema
980:Session
900:HipChat
895:Guilded
890:GroupMe
870:Element
865:Discord
733:MTProto
452:mlOscar
203:byte/1
189:byte/1
115:Bonjour
43:ealtime
35:ommunic
1697:buy.at
1680:Former
1666:Yahoo!
1554:Yammer
1549:Webcam
1385:Xabber
1305:Pidgin
1285:Kopete
1275:eBuddy
1260:Beeper
1219:WeChat
1194:Signal
1159:Jongla
1055:WeChat
985:Signal
925:Jongla
850:Beeper
796:Closed
787:Zephyr
775:Jingle
758:SIMPLE
728:Matrix
459:Python
420:joscar
387:C# 2.0
368:NOscar
301:Flags
259:Field
172:Field
96:log in
1781:Radio
1771:press
1747:In2TV
1489:Flock
1408:Skype
1375:Spark
1365:Gajim
1310:Finch
1280:Jitsi
1255:Ayttm
1250:Adium
1229:Wickr
1199:Skype
1119:Briar
1080:Zulip
1065:Wickr
1045:Viber
1010:Tango
995:Slack
990:Skype
945:Libon
820:Skype
808:OSCAR
447:OCaml
287:Type
137:Gmail
88:iChat
45:) is
20:OSCAR
1791:Seed
1712:DMOZ
1395:MSNP
1234:Wire
1154:Jami
1149:IMVU
1075:Zoom
1005:Snow
950:Line
940:Lark
905:iGap
840:Band
803:MSNP
770:XMPP
753:MSRP
718:IMPP
706:Open
478:Perl
428:daim
415:Java
92:.Mac
80:XMPP
56:and
27:pen
1832:AOL
1687:AIM
1656:TAC
1596:AOL
1370:Psi
1214:Tox
1035:Tox
935:Kik
915:Imo
855:BiP
813:TOC
780:WFP
765:Tox
748:SIP
723:IRC
713:DDP
490:PHP
375:C++
311:06
298:04
284:02
270:00
254:hex
225:04
211:02
197:01
183:00
167:hex
122:SDK
69:ICQ
65:AIM
49:'s
47:AOL
1828::
1811:TV
1759:On
1209:QQ
1020:QQ
597:.
552:.
399:Go
363:C#
256:)
169:)
139:.
117:.
78:,
71:.
1588:e
1581:t
1574:v
1095:)
1091:(
699:)
695:(
678:e
671:t
664:v
612:.
583:.
558:.
347:C
41:R
37:A
33:C
29:S
25:O
22:(
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