Why do people buy into AOL?? (1 Viewer)

[Alf S]

It still boggles my mind. It cost something like $21-22 a month to use them but what's so special about them to warrant such an outragous price tag??
Their commercials have all these actors talking about how wonderful it is..."I love getting email!", "I love to chat with grandma!"
I can do everything they can for HALF the price! (and so could they if they just did some research)..I've been using local a regional ISP (http://www.gbronline.com)that's only $9.95 a month for unlimted IE surfing, great/fast connection (for dial-up), Outlook email, 24/7 365 days a year tech support, 10mb webspace, no disconnects during peak times, etc etc.
If I want to chat, I can download any number of programs (including AOL's chat software) for free. I get 7 emails at no extra charge and so on. I'm guessing AOL is geared towards people who have no clue how to use the net, or maybe like the slick looking layout?? Why else would someone spend $21 a MONTH to get the same thing almost ANY local ISP in their city could offer??
I guess all these goofy AOL commercials this Xmas got me wondering why people like to throw their money away just to surf and use email.
On that note I must say Happy New Years to all and see ya in 2002!!
Alfer

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Alf;

AOL is like Bose. People buy into it mostly because of the advertising. When someone new to the world of computers gets one and wants to hook up to the Internet, chances are that AOL is the first ISP that springs to mind, mostly because people see it advertised so much.

 

[Sean Conklin]

Well if your like me and live in the boonies, you do not get a choice! My choice is AOL or nothing here in the sticks in MT. :frowning:
However in town, AT&T has constructed a tower and dsl or cable will be available this year! YESSSSSS, I can't wait!
When I was in Ca. I had Roadrunner cable, it was most excellent.
I dial up with AOL, but use IE for my browsing.

 

[Bill Catherall]

I've asked people that I know who use AOL this same question before. They say, "Well, the disc was right there [or it was pre-installed, or some variation] and I tried out the free 1000 hours. After that I just didn't feel like disconnecting it. Besides, I had already sent my email address out to all my friends and don't want to change it again." So, from what I've noticed, for people that have a choice, the only reason is...pure laziness.

 

[Greg_Y]

Why do people buy into AOL??

Why do people watch pan & scan movies??

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Why do people buy into AOL??

Cause you can meet hot women in your area with showing them pictures of yourself like this one...

 

[Rain]

Way to milk it for all it's worth, Chmiel. Is there even any of that money still left?

 

[NickSo]

 

[dougW]

Well, on record, that I am not an AOL fan. I detest how they always slip things on your desktop. I loved Netscape, and AOL buys it, and screws that up. I loved ICQ, and now, I cannot load any ICQ except 2001 version with ads installed. It won't let me get server approval with an old version. Yup, you got it, AOL owns ICQ now.

You download Netscape now, it automatically installs IM without your permission, and puts the AOL free offer on your desktop. This really REALLY hacks me off. Once I used AOL while on vacation, and they permenantly modified my version of Explorer to say AOL at the top. It wasn't good enough I had the software on my computer, no they had to corrupt my stand alone browser too!

Now, here I am, having to consider using AOL for DirecPC, because I am caught up in the Comcast/Excite problem with my cable modem, and will loose service Jan 11. I have no other high speed option. I am not happy at all!

Lex

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

I dial up with AOL, but use IE for my browsing.

Same here as the AOL browser is just plain horrible.

 

[nolesrule]

dougW, you shouldn't be downloading Netscape anyway. It's a horrible browser.

 

[Anthony Moore]

i have Cable modem but still keep AOL for the email address. Ive have [email protected] for almost 10 years now. I pay AOL only 9.99 a month for BYOA access. I can do anything anyone else does. Not too bad of a deal.

 

[Dan Hine]

AOL is also good if you travel alot and need internet access. And if you know how to milk the system then you never pay for it. I no longer have an AOL account but I went 2yrs for free. I started off with the free 700hrs and when that was up I called to cancel. The service reps would always say "well, if we give you another 700hrs will you keep it?" Happened everytime. Just repeat as necessary...
Happy New Year,
Dan Hine

 

[Darren Davis]

don't even believe matthew...those bills are fake! lol

yes, AOL does suck but without it my parents would have never gotten into computers and I would've never gotten my computer and cable modem as a result. Only I use the cable modem because even after years of use I still have to show my parents how to open a file they've saved (

"Do you remember the name of the file when you downloaded it?"

"No."

"Ok. Do you remember what folder it went into?"

"No."

...etc...EVERY TIME!)

So, only AOL for them. At least it's so damn easy to use.

 

[TheoGB]

Matt, what's the second piccy on your sig all about?
Over here AOL probably get a lot of custom because they promise to protect your kids from perversion and stuff on the net. :rolleyes
Nutscrape is no good. I'm sorry but IE 5.0 kicks its arse. Much as people like to lay into MS, they know how to make a browser! Netscape lost it because they spent all their time attempting to do MS as an evil empire building company...and then joined Omni Consumer Prod- sorry, Time-Warner-AOL.
Cheers.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Quote:

But IE 6.0 kicks both of it's arses.

 

[TheoGB]

(and no Rain, it's not me dressed up in drag).

Well I didn't want to say but that was my first thought...

The hands in the background looked a little dodgy though.

I only just realised you guys mean the notes when you say bills. I thought there was some parallel thing I was missing about the billing from AOL!

Separated by a common language, eh? :-D

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

Separated by a common language, eh? :-D

Yeah. Dodgy. Eh? (not just a Canadian stereotype, eh?)
-JNS

 

[Mohsen Sadeghi]

Same here as the AOL browser is just plain horrible

Matt,is it possible to configure Outlook to receive the AOL emails or you have to use AOL browser if your email address is @aol.com?

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Matt,is it possible to configure Outlook to receive the AOL emails or you have to use AOL browser if your email address is @aol.com?

To tell you the truth: nope. :frowning: If you're an AOL user, you have to use their e-mail browser and their newsgroup browser (which totally SUCKS), and as of now, there's no way to use it with another program (and I've asked AOL customer reps and computer pros).