New protocol, so what?
Mirabilis, the AOL owned company that created ICQ, has again changed the ICQ communications protocol. This is not
the first time they have changed the ICQ protocol, however, it is the first change that prevents users from changing
back to an older version of ICQ that existed before the protocol change.
Why would I want to go back?
The version 5 release of the new ICQ protocol coincides
with the release of the ICQ 2000 client. Anyone that upgraded to this version would notice the new annoying, flashing,
huge banner advertisement now built into the IM interface. As if we were not saturated in commercial advertising filth
as we surf the web, now we have it in our face when we chat with friends and family on ICQ. Another negative thing
about the latest ICQ version is a major security flaw in the version 5 protocol that could potentially give an
unauthorized person access to your personal files on your computer. With these things in mind, the first thing a
savvy ICQ user
might think of doing is removing the new version and going back to one of the pre-2000 versions. But this does not
work!
Stuck with the latest version!
Yeah that's right, once you install the latest banner running ad-ware version of ICQ, you can not go back to an
older pre-banner version unless you are willing to register an entirely new UIN number. By upgrading to the latest
version of ICQ, your UIN profile in the Mirabilis database changes and sets a flag which deliberately prevents you
from returning to an older version of ICQ before the banner advertisements were implemented into the client interface.
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Workarounds to rid the banner.
If you have already upgraded to the latest version of ICQ and simply cannot tolerate those annoying flashing
banners right in your face while you are trying to chat, then here are some possible resolutions. 1). If you do not
mind registering with ICQ again, you can download an older ICQ version, and
register as a new user. You will
of course have to contact all of your friends and family to give them your new ICQ UIN.
2). If you think that totally sucks and you want to keep your UIN and the latest version of ICQ, then might I
suggest trying one of the ICQ banner removal cracks. Make sure you match the appropriate crack up
with your version of ICQ. These cracks will remove the ICQ banner from the ICQ client interface while allowing the
program to function normally. These cracks are not guaranteed and can cause problems with some installations. Use
caution and make sure you select the appropriate crack for your client version. These cracks are written by hackers
and not by Mirabilis, the company that created ICQ. In fact, Mirabilis forbids the use of such a crack since it is
their intention to force you to view these damn annoying advertisements since they make a lot of money from the
companies that sponsor those advertisements. 3). If you are frustrated with Mirabilis ICQ altogether but unwilling
to change to another IM because the people you talk to all use ICQ, then try one of the
ICQ clones. These programs
work with Mirabilis ICQ but are written by other hackers or companies. They offer features and capabilities beyond
what the basic Mirabilis ICQ client has, and they still allow you to talk to other ICQ users. Remember, we do not
offer technical support for any of the cracks or chat clients downloadable from this web site. ®
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