AOL 7.0---don't bother!!

[Jenni]

I spent all day yesterday downloading AOL 7.0, and other than "looking pretty" I can't see where it does anything that 6.0 didn't do. I still have crap AIM (why is it that us paying customers get crap, but everyone else gets the good stuff???), and now I have trouble with some web pages loading a lot of red "x" pictures that I know are good pics, and if I reload they are there.....

I know, I know, I should get rid of AOL, but I checked out everything else in my area that appears to be legitimate, and they either don't have a local number, or they aren't any cheaper than AOL. I can't get cable or DSL either.

[morriswindgate]

When one learns enough about computers, they realize that AOL sucks and the service is bad and expensive for dial-up. (I always love to pay somebody to view ads and go where they want me to go)

[Jenni]

Another part of the problem is that I have 3 other people that occasionally use my account. If I change ISP's, I have to take them with me too! (And no, I don't charge them "rent". I should though...)

[glc]

Is this a local number for you?

Gulfport, MS, USA
228
863-0585
Unlimited
V.90,K56,V.34,ISDN2,ISDN1

That's Earthlink - $21.95 a month and I found a way for anyone to get 60 days for $1 without a contract. If you sign up for Sprint long distance I think you can get a $2 a month discount and get the first 60 days of EL free.

Suggest to the "occasional" freeloaders that they get their own Netzero accounts. Earthlink will bust you in a heartbeat for simultaneous logins.

[Jenni]

Yes that's a local number, but once again, that isn't any cheaper than AOL. And why should they care if I want to share my account with someone? AOL doesn't. Only one of us can be online at any one time, so what does it matter?

[Gintaras]

Jenni,
I think Earthlink is $1.00 less than AOHell and what's most important- you won't have AOHell virii on your PC.

I have Earthlink- no software- just dial-up setup.

[Carl Price]

Jenni, the difference between AOL and Earthlink is night and day. AOL adds an interference layer (their spam engine and other proprietary bulls***) between you and the internet. Earthlink doesn't. Imagine two people running a race, one has combat boots and full military pack(AOL) and one has a proper racing outfit including running shoes(Earthlink). If you can see that you get the picture.

PS. As long as only one person is on the net at a time you will be alright with Earthlink. Just don't let more than one access the account simultaneously.

[Jenni]

I can see where not having AOL's junk installed would make a difference.

How exactly am I supposed to know if one of the people that uses my account is online without being online? If I try to get online while my brother is online with AOL, I get a message that says "sorry, your account is already in use by screename xxxxxxxxx. If this is unauthorized usage, call 1-800-.......". And AOL obviously doesn't care, one of their big ads when you sign on says "Stop Sharing! Move your screen name to your own account now".

Besides, I'm a nice person, I like sharing my account...

[Gintaras]

Jenni,
I think, that way(one person at time) you could share Earthlink too :)

Besides, you're a very nice person :)

[lpc300]

Hi Jenni,

I connect via a small, local, ISP. Fast connections, no proprietary layer, and NEVER a drop. Price is only $15.95/month. I checked, and there are no local access numbers in your area :( . However, the way I found this ISP was at this website: http://www.findanisp.com/ . Type in your city and state and numerous ISP's that service your area will come up with some key info (# of email addresses, price), the ISP's URL, and a rating (0-5). The ratings are, actually, pretty accurate. About 3 years ago, I signed up for internet service from PSN (remember them?) based on CNET's recommendation. Findanisp gave them a '0' I later discovered. Sometimes I couldn't get connected for as much as 48 hours. When they went out of business, they didn't bother to tell their customers. They just cut everyone off. Forunately, I had cut them off long before. The ISP I have now, got a '5', and I couldn't be happier.

Help this helps.

[shecky981]

You can get a satellite hookup as well. I am not saying this is cheap (usually its typical broadband costs, plus equipment), but, it is available to anyone in North America. I think Phillips is the carrier, but, I am not positive, look it up on Google. And, it is not like the old days, where it was satellite for downstream, and regular 56k phoneline upstream, now they offer both up and downstream all from the satellite.

Personally I think AOL is for grandmothers, teenagers with no social life other than chat rooms, and people basically ignorant of computing in general. It is a horrible service that, as a consumer, i find personally insulting that they actually make you pay them to piss you off with horrible service, pop up ads, slow & unstable connections, and nonexistent tech support. I would rather use 2 tin cans and a string than AOL.

Thats just my opinion, and, i could be wrong. (i'm not, but, i could be)

[highrisemech]

I've been using 7.0 for approx two months now and it does not seem to work as well as the 6.0 . I keep it because most of my family is on the same service otherwise I would drop it in a minute.

I need a new keyboard or something
I keep making typos

[Jenni]

While I was out doing some shopping yesterday I picked up an Earthlink CD at Office Max. Seems that if you have Earthlink for 4 months, you can get a $50 gift card from OM. But, Earthlink charges you a $25 "one time connect fee" :eek: What for????? It isn't like they are running wire to my house or something! Not only do I have to pay them to use their ISP, I have to pay them to set up my screen name?????

And can someone explain to me what everyone means when they say AOL is "slow"?? I get a 26,400 connection to whatever ISP I choose (I had Netzero for a while). How can a 26,400 connection to one ISP be any "faster" than to another? Are you trying to say that if I have Earthlink and join my brother's Counterstrike server, my ping will be lower? If so, I'm all for that, and I'll switch tomorrow, $25 fee or not, lol.

[audiyoda]

Jenni,

AOL is slow in that you have to deal with their proprietary layer or 'portal'. But actaul surfing is pretty fast -- AOL cache's most of the Internet, or at least popular sites amung their members, on their servers. Of course this is not really a good thing: Since it's cached, it's old content.

Any content provider is slow compared to a straight shot via an ISP. I worked for AOL and MSN and I can tell you they were both dogs compared to the non-portal numbers they would give use forum managers.

-Craig

[brx]

re: Shecky981. DirecPC provides up and down satellite net access for a hefty $ 150/mo CDN up here anyway. I'd have to quit smoking to afford that, maybe a divorce too. We've got AOL 7.0 also. The wife and kids like it so I am outvoted. As long as you get where you are going what's a couple of minutes, hours, days.......
God bless.
Bret.

[crow]

I have Net Zero Platinum For #9.95/month and am very pleased with it.
Lowest rate 28800. Usually in the thirties.
-
Len

[glc]

Jenni:

I posted a link earlier (in the thread about the AT&T/Excite debacle) telling how to get 60 days of Earthlink for $1 with no contract and no setup fee. You do NOT want to use the software CD to sign up - it's a straight dialup networking connection that INETWIZ sets up in about 30 seconds.

Only AOL uses "screen names" - real ISP's call them user ID's and you only get ONE. You can have multiple e-mail addresses but those are set up in your e-mail software, all signons are from the single user ID.

Note that if you said "yes" when you installed AOL and it asked you if you wanted to make it your default for mail, news, etc. you will have a very hard time getting a standard ISP working without the old "format c" trick.

[Prew]

GLC: The earthlink I'm using (v.5.0) has something like multiple userid's but Earthlink calls them profiles'. When you click the 5.0 icon a sign-on window comes up that lets you select the profile you want via a drop down menu. Signing on with a different profile takes you to your personalized Earthlink startup page and email.

I don't particularly like Earthlink (e.g., it keeps trying to install Gator and it logs off automatically if idle for a few minutes such as the time needed to type this message). I'm just using Earthlink because I got 2 months for 1 dollar and I'll be switching to RoadRunner in a week or two. $21.95/month is fairly expensive unless you use the other features such as the 6mgs of webspace and the family rooms- and instead of saying 'You've got mail' it says "Mailtruck". Before Earthlink I was using a local ISP that was only $100/year.

[glc]

Prew: That's why you don't install the Earthlink software! If you just set up a standard DUN connection, you don't have to deal with all that garbage. You won't be disconnected if you don't enable auto disconnect in the IE connection properties and set your e-mail software (not Earthlink's - some other POP and SMTP standard client) to check your mail every 5 minutes. The point I am trying to make here is that Earthlink is a standard generic DUN connection type ISP, you don't HAVE to use any proprietary software like you do with AOL, Compuserve, Netzero, AT&T, and MSN. It's the SOFTWARE that's causing your problems, not the SERVICE.

Sure, most ISP's OFFER their proprietary software (they do prefer that you use it so they can shovel their garbage at you, and it DOES make configuration easy) but it's VERY easy to set up a standard DUN, start page, and mail client with multiple addresses without it.

I have been using standard DUN-type ISP's for about 6 years now, and presently use Earthlink - and it's as good as any other ISP out there in my opinion. No busy signals, no network slowdowns, very few random disconnects - and most importantly, NO ads in my face.

[Gintaras]

Prew,

You don't like Earthlink prolly because you've installed Earthlink software.

I have Earthlink w/o their software installed- just VERY simple DUN connection..
I don't have disconnects(in a few min. idle) you have. I stay for hours without any disconnection even i'm not surfing. Let they try to disconnect me- I pay UNLIMITED. If I won't get Unlimited- my payment to Earthlink will be LIMITED too(I did it twice already) :)

About user ID/profiles, I think, you can do the same with DUN setup connection.
I check e-mail whenever I want to(w/Outhouse Express), or I can setup Outhouse Exp to check my e-mail every single min.

Earthlink Software CD?
It's usefull as much as America Offline CD(garbage can, brisbies, ect.)

[freptide]

Why does anyone bother with AOL? If you use AOHell you must love getting
alot of junkmail!

[Xayd]

Guys (especially Jenni), the problem with AOL above all else is this...

I've been around since before websites had banner ads, and when there was lots of great, free, useful stuff out there. I remember first getting online back in late '94/'95 and it was great. Tons of pages run by individuals just for the hell of it, not for potential profit. It was literally an instantaneous encyclopedia out there, you just had to know how to find what you were looking for.

The ad banner industry has been the death of many sites I enjoyed. How does this relate to AOL? AOL/MSN users pay for ad banners all day and think it's perfectly normal. The rest of us have gone to all this trouble to get away from the advertising out there, and you guys are paying what, 24 bucks a month now to look at those ads that we refuse to acknowledge?

No one who's owned a computer for longer than 6 months should remain on AOL, Compuserve, or MSN. You support all that is wrong with the 'dot-com industry' by doing so.

If Google ever dies, god help us all..

[Jenni]

What ad banner are you talking about? Ones on sites, or a Netzero type monster that hogs half your screen and you can't get rid of it? 'Cause if that's the type you're talking about, AOL has no such animal.

[Xayd]

Like the ones it prompts you with when you first dial up to buy some random product, which you can only fully disable for about 4 or 5 months before it automatically starts again?

What about me getting calls all day from our customers saying "I'm typing in (blah blah) at the keyword box but your site isn't coming up?!?"

It's no mystery why AOL IPs are being banned from more and more places every day ;). Last time I checked you couldn't even view the Anandtech forums from an AOL IP, for instance.

[morriswindgate]

It still makes absolutly no sense to me to pay a premium price for a dial-up service that makes me go through their gateway screen, shows me advertisments (That they make money off of, but still increase the cost of service), spam me with a buch of e-mails from dorks who thingk everything that is funny to them is to everybody, and in general the subscribers are, for the most part, people who do not know how to turn a computer off properly or think that they can never get a virus, much less spread it.
Their ought to be a seperate internet for AOL people, so they do not bother or endanger the rest of us.
Although, I do appreciate the fact that they send me two disks a month in those neat little mailer boxes, they are great for holding MP3 disks in my truck.

[highrisemech]

Hmmm A lot of AOL bashing going on here. Personally my family and I have been using it for years. It works well for us. Also I have seen viruses come from many sources not just AOL users overs the years. In fact AOl is always warning folks about virus and even offers free antivirus downloads. In all fairness
viruses are a user issue not unique to any ISP. Furthermore a lot of the junk email I get comes from other isp's. So far as the pop up advertising is concerned this is an unwanted wave of the future of the internet that affects us all. Better sit back and get used to it, because these companies want nothing better than to get into your living room and will stop at nothing to get there regardless of your ISP.

[Prew]

Originally posted by glc
Prew: That's why you don't install the Earthlink software!

Now you tell me! I thought I had to. Thanks for the tip, I'm taking it off this afternoon. The earthlink software is really a nusiance- especially the email program that comes with it.

[beckx020]

I use AOL and my U account. I share the AOL account and it works well. I've been looking for another ISP to replace the U, but haven't found what I want yet. As for AOL, I finally have a system I can use AOL 7.0 on. I don't think AOL is the most wonderful anything. But the tools for preventing spam etc and keeping kids out of places you don't want them to be are easy to setup. I like some of the features and "in house" content of AOL. But I don't think I'd like to just be stuck with AOL, or be without it.

[Jenni]

This is what I see every time I sign on to AOL:



http://www.etginc.com/~jen2sam/AOL.jpg

The "Channel" bar goes away by clicking "Hide Channels". The Welcome screen goes away by clicking the X, lol. The AOL browser's toolbar takes up more room than IE's, but I can always just open IE if it bothers me.

Matter of fact, I like AOL. Sure, upgrading for nothing is annoying. But I like being able to share my account. I'm never on 24/7, so why shouldn't someone be able to be on when I'm not? Unless/until I get broadband, I'll keep AOL.

[Prew]

AOL versus other internet is sort of like humor. I think the 3 Stooges are great, but my wife scratches her head and says "I don't get it". ;)

[Gintaras]

America Outtaline (http://bobsfridge.com/aologon.htm)

[Jenni]

That's pretty funny, but not realistic anymore. The "dialing" screen doesn't look anything like that anymore, the channel menu is small (I do wish I could tell it not to load every time I start...), and you NEVER get popups from just signing on, other than the AOL welcome screen of course.

I can remember when AOL was the only ISP around here, and having to call the Gulfport number for an hour, waiting for someone to get off so I could get on, especially on Friday or Saturday night, lol. I never get a busy signal anymore, they have 4 local numbers, and I can't even remember the last time I got a busy signal at any one of them. They do occasionally have "that mail is temporarily unavailable" and "buddy list" problems, but not too often. Once every 4 or 5 months maybe.