Checking AOL Mail w/o AOL

[Kov-Ice]

My dad is a long-time user of AOL (there's a companion thread HERE).

I have no clue about AOL or how it works. I am curious, tho, if it is possible to set things up so that Dad can check mail at his AOL address without logging on to the AOL service or going to their website. He's attached to his addy, but I thought that maybe there would be a way to circumvent all the AOL junk.

As an aside, what does following the directions in the sticky at the top of this forum do for you?

Thx,

[underfunded]

The article looks like it is about 2 years old but this may help:

http://members.aol.com/adamkb/aol/mailfaq/imap/

basically it outlines how to use imap and smtp to access and send aol email. if it works you could use outlook or another program of choice for sending and receiving your aol email.

[EzyStvy]

How to configure an AOL e-mail account in Outlook Express
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;883081

"Until recently, AOL’s e-mail technology was not compatible with Outlook Express. AOL has now made it possible to configure later versions of Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, and Microsoft Entourage to use AOL e-mail accounts."

[glc]

Even simpler than that.

Go to www.aol.com

You will see a mailbox with a Sign In link above it. Sign in (screen name and password). I forget what you have to do then, but I believe you just hit a mailbox or something - it should be obvious. The interface will then look just like the mail interface in the AOL program itself.

You can set up a direct link to the signin screen in his Favorites or Bookmarks, depending on what browser he uses. You could even make it his home/start page.

[underfunded]

glc, only problem is that he didn't want to have to go to the website to check the mail. btw, HI, long time no see!

[Ahura]

AOL ruined my first computer........The rectangle loading thing just suddenly decided to stay up without bulging nor loading for forever. I seriously think yu should talk yur dad into getting rid of the thing.

[glc]

If he uses the website in that manner, once in the mailbox it looks just like AOL and works just like AOL. This is best to maintain the comfort zone. Using Outlook Express, etc. will look too foreign to someone like that who is most likely set in his ways. It is not easy to import an AOL address book into a POP client.