I've been having multiple problems with AIM which no one
can figure out.

I am using OS 8.6 and AIM 4.3.1232 on an iMac. (Upgrading
to OS X and AIM 4.6 would be a last resort.)

As of June AIM was working fine. Since then I have these
problems.

1) Sometimes the entire computer, except for the mouse
cursor, just freezes up.

2) Sometimes I attempt to join a chat room and although
the people there see me enter, I get the message that
"the chat room is not responding."

3) When I do get in, about half the people in it have
missing text. The rest I can read fine. That is, someone
types "How are you" and someone else says "I am fine"
etc. and all I see is
Someone:
Someone else: I am fine
Someone:
Someone:
Someone else: that's great

I've tried cutting and pasting and changing colors -- the
text just isn't there.

I've tried restarting, signing off and signing back on, etc.
No luck, if I actually get to step 3, it's always the same
result.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Steve