I dont know what else, aside from ghosting to call this. This isn't what proggies have called ghosting(making an IM look diffrent by copying a major part of it, and pasting it, with an added string), this is what I would consider a real 'ghost'. When using the TOC protocol, I found that if certian strings are not sent, on connection (certain buddylist rights), then AOL does not register the user as being avalible. It's kind of like setting your buddylist options to not allow anyone to IM you. Except, you cannot send messages to them either. The only way for anyone to communicate with you when you are online, or for you too comunicate with them, is in a chatroom. It's not really all that handy a thing too do, but it does have its advantages.
It is done by not sending/reciving a buddylist during sign on. Well actuly you do sort of receive a buddylist, but it is empty, and dSp AIM, does not send any reply to this buddylist, because it thinks none is needed. Well there is some string that is supposed to be sent if no-one is in the buddylist, just to confirm that the person received the list. This was left out of the code, so people could ghost. You can go into a chatroom, and talk all you want, but no one can send you IM's, and you can't send IM's to anyone either.
If you want to ghost with dSp AIM, all you have to do is create a new screenname and sign on. Do not add anyone to your buddylist, or you will become availible for IM's.