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sgtspector · 07-11-2006, 02:34 PM

Looks like AOHELL is still trying to keep that guy from canceling his account. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6...ml?tag=nl.e550

**thefultonhow** · 07-11-2006, 02:42 PM

Moved to General Discussion.

jayb1234 · 07-11-2006, 07:18 PM

Hmmmmm, free AOL,,,Ptoooooieeeeeee barfaroni.

tomster2300 · 07-11-2006, 10:22 PM

"AOL subscribers have been abandoning the legacy AOL service in recent years. The company has lost nearly 30 percent of its subscribers since September 2002 and has watched as advertising revenues skyrocketed at Google and Yahoo."

No wonder. AOL is awful, there's so many better options out there.

***glc*** · 07-12-2006, 09:19 AM

AOL as an Internet service is fine. They have a huge infrastructure. It's their proprietary bloated software that makes it so bad.

**rjfvillarosa** · 07-12-2006, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glc

It's their proprietary bloated software that makes it so bad.

Is it possible to get AOL working without the bloat?, I am about to do an OS upgrade on my goddaughters machine and she uses AOL, it would be nice to lose all that garbage.

tomster2300 · 07-12-2006, 11:02 AM

I've certainly tried, and so has others in my family. Our only solutions were switching providers.

***glc*** · 07-13-2006, 04:47 PM

Nope, AOL will not work without the software. All you can do to reduce the bloat is use an older version. It's a proprietary dialer/connection manager and a proprietary mail system. You can't just get the connection manager, it's all or nothing. You CAN use the AOL mail system through the Web if you connect using another provider.

If you have AOL DSL, you CAN set up a router with a dedicated screen name and use that to connect without the software - and use standard Internet apps, but the only way to check your mail is with the Web interface as already discussed.

Bottom line, the only way to actually log on to the service and have full functionality is with the software.

Gizmo · 07-13-2006, 05:22 PM

I'm still currently with AOL, I don't use their software, just their external servers (obviously) lol. We're going to switch over to TalkTalk soon, the new service provider from the Carphonewarehouse, UK members will know what I'm talking about. They're a good service, TalkTalk DSL provision is 20UKP a month (for the phoneline) and the external DNS server (and proxies) provision is free.

I understand the fact that AOL tries to keep a tight grip on their customers. I had to phone one of the reps a couple of days ago to get our service provider migration number (16-digit hex number, an external MAC address basically), took about 5 minutes longer than neccessary, and the rep was Indian, so understanding what was being said was tricky.

Can't really bash AOL too much, as glc said, good overall service and infrastructure. Just the software, ancillary protocols within the software and reps that try to sell you cheaper packages that is pesky.

***glc*** · 07-13-2006, 05:55 PM

Once you get past the software with all the bloat and ads and get it minimized, it's not bad as a vehicle to access the Internet with your choice of applications.

tomster2300 · 07-14-2006, 08:59 AM

What I have problems with is trying to uninstall all the preloaded AOL promotional stuff (and actual software) when you buy a new computer. It gets to the point where you have to reinstall Windows to really remove it, something which most people have no idea how to do.

**mbossman2** · 07-14-2006, 09:06 AM

future presidential hopeful Eliot Spitzer is putting AOL back in his gunsights

07-11-2006, 02:34 PM	#1
sgtspector Member (11 bit) Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Mt. Hope, NY Posts: 1,236	They just wont let go Looks like AOHELL is still trying to keep that guy from canceling his account. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6...ml?tag=nl.e550 __________________ Asus P5ND2-SLi-Deluxe Mobo, Intel 3.0ghz P4 w/ht, 2 GB CORSAIR 667 DDR2, 1 GB Ultra DDR2 533 mhz PC4200 ram, BFGTech Nvidia 6600 GT OC SLi video card, WD 4000KS OEM SATA II HDD, Seagate 320gb SATA II HDD 7200rpm, WD 320 gb SATA II HDD, Creative Soundblaster Audigy Platinum, Sony DRU 720 DVD-RW, LG GCE8240B CD-RW, Maddog Multimedia 500w modular PSU & WinXP Pro SP2, Samsung BF960 19" LCD.

07-11-2006, 02:42 PM	#2
thefultonhow Moderator Staff Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,941	Moved to General Discussion. __________________ Computer: Intel Core i5-750 2.66 GHz quad-core processor \| Asus P7P55D-E motherboard \| Crucial 4 GB DDR3-1333 RAM \| nVidia GeForce 7800GTX \| 2x WD Caviar Black WD1501FASS 1.5TB hard drives in RAID 1 \| Antec Sonata III case with Antec EarthWatts 500-watt PSU \| Dual Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP 24" widescreens \| Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Other: 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Spec.B 6MT \| Samsung Galaxy Note II Smartphone \| Mamiya M645 1000S medium-format SLR with 55mm f/2.8, 70mm f/2.8, 210mm f/4, teleconverter, 120 and 220 film backs \| Olympus E-PL1 Micro-4/3s DSLR with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses

07-11-2006, 10:22 PM	#4
tomster2300 I like monkeys Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The South Posts: 2,526	"AOL subscribers have been abandoning the legacy AOL service in recent years. The company has lost nearly 30 percent of its subscribers since September 2002 and has watched as advertising revenues skyrocketed at Google and Yahoo." No wonder. AOL is awful, there's so many better options out there. __________________ Desktop: Intel i7 920--GA-x58-UD3R--Corsair XMS 12GB DDR3 1600mhz--Diamond Radeon HD 7850--PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w psu--Samsung 830 128GB SSD--1TB RAID 0--Lite-on DVD-DL burner--Cooler Master HAF case--Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Laptop: Apple Macbook Pro 13" 2011

07-13-2006, 05:22 PM	#9
Gizmo Supergeek in training Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,690	I'm still currently with AOL, I don't use their software, just their external servers (obviously) lol. We're going to switch over to TalkTalk soon, the new service provider from the Carphonewarehouse, UK members will know what I'm talking about. They're a good service, TalkTalk DSL provision is 20UKP a month (for the phoneline) and the external DNS server (and proxies) provision is free. I understand the fact that AOL tries to keep a tight grip on their customers. I had to phone one of the reps a couple of days ago to get our service provider migration number (16-digit hex number, an external MAC address basically), took about 5 minutes longer than neccessary, and the rep was Indian, so understanding what was being said was tricky. Can't really bash AOL too much, as glc said, good overall service and infrastructure. Just the software, ancillary protocols within the software and reps that try to sell you cheaper packages that is pesky. __________________ Pure geek and proud. "Success is not final and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by Gizmo; 07-13-2006 at 05:25 PM.

07-14-2006, 09:06 AM	#12
mbossman2 I am, in reality, a moose Staff Premium Member Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: RTP, NC Posts: 2,453	future presidential hopeful Eliot Spitzer is putting AOL back in his gunsights __________________ Veritas Principium Libertas

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07-11-2006, 07:18 PM	#3
jayb1234 Member (12 bit) Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,509	Hmmmmm, free AOL,,,Ptoooooieeeeeee barfaroni.

07-12-2006, 09:19 AM	#5
*glc* Forum Administrator Staff Premium Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 41,189	AOL as an Internet service is fine. They have a huge infrastructure. It's their proprietary bloated software that makes it so bad.

07-12-2006, 11:02 AM	#7
tomster2300 I like monkeys Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The South Posts: 2,526	I've certainly tried, and so has others in my family. Our only solutions were switching providers.

07-13-2006, 04:47 PM	#8
*glc* Forum Administrator Staff Premium Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 41,189	Nope, AOL will not work without the software. All you can do to reduce the bloat is use an older version. It's a proprietary dialer/connection manager and a proprietary mail system. You can't just get the connection manager, it's all or nothing. You CAN use the AOL mail system through the Web if you connect using another provider. If you have AOL DSL, you CAN set up a router with a dedicated screen name and use that to connect without the software - and use standard Internet apps, but the only way to check your mail is with the Web interface as already discussed. Bottom line, the only way to actually log on to the service and have full functionality is with the software.

07-13-2006, 05:55 PM	#10
*glc* Forum Administrator Staff Premium Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 41,189	Once you get past the software with all the bloat and ads and get it minimized, it's not bad as a vehicle to access the Internet with your choice of applications.

07-14-2006, 08:59 AM	#11
tomster2300 I like monkeys Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The South Posts: 2,526	What I have problems with is trying to uninstall all the preloaded AOL promotional stuff (and actual software) when you buy a new computer. It gets to the point where you have to reinstall Windows to really remove it, something which most people have no idea how to do.

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