• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Why do people use AOL

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
I used AOL back in 1996, but only because I didn't know any better. AOL was the only ISP I knew existed, and I wanted to get some use out of the 28.8k modem I had gotten that year. I got one of their disks in the mail (back when they used floppies) and I used it.

A year later, I cancelled my account after they inexplicably charged my credit card $400. About a month later, I took my PC into a shop to have an ATAPI Zip drive installed, and while I was there I saw a flyer for a local ISP. I called them up and began my new life with a proper ISP.

I guess one thing I could say to redeem myself is that I was using Windows 3.11 the whole time. 🙂
 
AOL is great for idiots. I used to get their floppy disks all the time back in the day (and a few CD's)... I don't get them anymore... I kinda miss getting them.

 


<< Because they are illiterate homos......... 😛 >>

What's that you say? I couldn't quite understand you. You say you like to lick homos?
 
When you go out of town, out of state, whatever, can you connect to your ISP? YES

What is the max attachment size that you can receive? Unlimited

How many emails with your max attachment size can you receive? Unknown, But I will look into it

How many emails can you have in your mailbox? 1500 and counting

How many email addresses can you have with your ISP? 10

chat program....don't do that, My sister uses ICQ however
How much space.... well nothing extra. IE is built into windows. but thats not the point. My ISP will not spam me or sell my email address. My ISP does not involve itself with Spyware and my ISP is universally compatable with any Windows or Linux version. plus using AOL/Time Warner you will have many challanges running software such as kazaa, napster or AG. That and micro$oft has mentioned that 90% of system lockups is related to AOL/Compuserve
 


<< When you go out of town, out of state, whatever, can you connect to your ISP? YES What ISP do you use?

What is the max attachment size that you can receive? Unlimited I'm skeptical about that.

How many emails with your max attachment size can you receive? Unknown, But I will look into it

How many emails can you have in your mailbox? 1500 and counting You have 1500 new emails sitting in your mailbox waiting to be read?

How many email addresses can you have with your ISP? 10

chat program....don't do that, My sister uses ICQ however
How much space.... well nothing extra. IE is built into windows. but thats not the point. My ISP will not spam me or sell my email address. My ISP does not involve itself with Spyware and my ISP is universally compatable with any Windows or Linux version. plus using AOL/Time Warner you will have many challanges running software such as kazaa, napster or AG. That and micro$oft has mentioned that 90% of system lockups is related to AOL/Compuserve >>

I have never had a single problem with morpheus, napster, etc. I can't believe you just stated "That and micro$oft has mentioned that 90% of system lockups is related to AOL/Compuserve". lol 🙂 95% of lockups are related to M$ 😛
 


<< When you go out of town, out of state, whatever, can you connect to your ISP? YES >>



How many countries does your isp have local dialup numbers in? I am not trying to say aol is right for everyone, but there are technical people who use it for this reason alone. If I traveled around the world I would have an account for that one reason.

 
Ahh well my ISP is local (Shaw) and It has dialup numbers for Canada, US, Japan, Australia, UK, Italy and most of the Europe. Alas there is no numbers for the middle East or North Africa :-(

How many emails can you have in your mailbox? 1500 and counting You have 1500 new emails sitting in your mailbox waiting to be read?
***your question was "How many emails can you have in your mailbox?" the answer is 1500 saved, I get around 150-160 a day.

As for me stating most lockups are related to AOL/Compuserve I was in referance to Internet and connection lockups and slowdown (My Bad) 😱


Again I'll say that AOL does have a purpose, however paying for spyware and an unstable platform is rotten..... before you all say whatabout Microsoft. Granted they are as stable as a crackerhouse but I run a linux box with XP Pro
 


<< Ahh well my ISP is local (Shaw) and It has dialup numbers for Canada, US, Japan, Australia, UK, Italy and most of the Europe. Alas there is no numbers for the middle East or North Africa :-(

How many emails can you have in your mailbox? 1500 and counting You have 1500 new emails sitting in your mailbox waiting to be read?
***your question was "How many emails can you have in your mailbox?" the answer is 1500 saved, I get around 150-160 a day.

As for me stating most lockups are related to AOL/Compuserve I was in referance to Internet and connection lockups and slowdown (My Bad) 😱


Again I'll say that AOL does have a purpose, however paying for spyware and an unstable platform is rotten..... before you all say whatabout Microsoft. Granted they are as stable as a crackerhouse but I run a linux box with XP Pro >>

Sorry, I meant...if you go on vacation or whatever, how many emails before people get a mailbox full message? Seriously, though, I don't run AOL 6 or crap like that, I use 4 which IMO is the only good version. It doesn't give me any more trouble than any other single program. So what is AOL spying on me for? What info have they collected?
 
its like I always say at work...

most people feel they need a computer and that they need to have an Internet connection. They don't know why, or how to do this... but they know that they need it.

go figure.
 
Like most spyware they keeptrack on the sites you visit and sell that information to Commercial Advertisers. AOL also designed a Devil of a program Bonzi Buddy which keeps track on the advertisements you click and AOL turns around and sells that.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I don't want to have my info sold or anything. I will concede with you that AOL 4.0 is the most 'ahem "Stable" of the bunch 😉
 
Hallzy...just so you know, if I could get cable or DSL for the price I pay right now for phoneline + AOL, I'd go for it....but I can't.

Oh, and since you brought up file sharing programs, AOL is a better program than any of those you mentioned...but you didn't hear that from me.
 
b/c it's easy for them to use, and they've been using it for so long already. plus, they don't really need that powerful of an ISP anyway.
 
No No No. You are all wrong. Its because thewy can find local chat rooms of Any kind. Promise of sex baby. In AOL you can find a chat room thats near your area where ever you live in the USA.

Yeah i used AOL for a year. Too slow for me, and it takes over your system in many ways. anyway thats all.
 


<< << When you go out of town, out of state, whatever, can you connect to your ISP? YES >>



How many countries does your isp have local dialup numbers in? I am not trying to say aol is right for everyone, but there are technical people who use it for this reason alone. If I traveled around the world I would have an account for that one reason. >>



youre making a good point n0cmonkey, i would probably use AOL (god forbid) if i traveled all over, but how many people do that???

i'd say the VAST majority are just regular people dialing up from home.

good point, and you are right, but most people arent in that situation.
 


<<

<< << When you go out of town, out of state, whatever, can you connect to your ISP? YES >>



How many countries does your isp have local dialup numbers in? I am not trying to say aol is right for everyone, but there are technical people who use it for this reason alone. If I traveled around the world I would have an account for that one reason. >>



youre making a good point n0cmonkey, i would probably use AOL (god forbid) if i traveled all over, but how many people do that???

i'd say the VAST majority are just regular people dialing up from home.

good point, and you are right, but most people arent in that situation. >>



I know, but that is a good reason for someone to use it. That is all I wanted to get across. 🙂
 


<< Why do people use AOL >>

Snappy commercials that hit home with regular people.

Hey some need more guidance than others. AOL claims to have that in spades.

I just wish AOL had its own internet. AOL sucks up all my bandwidth.
 
I have had an AOL account since 95. And I don't plan on dropping it anytime soon. Most people shy away from it but I prefer their web mail over hotmail, yahoo, and whoever runs the backpacker.com email service (those are the only ones I have bothered to keep active). This is just a preference I have. I only download email that I want to keep long term.
I travel a lot in various countries but mostly around the US and I have found that I cannot always relay on Earthlink to give me a local number. I have noticed that AOL is a lot more forgiving for crappy phone connections. I have spent several nights using the AOL dialup rather than my earthlink one simply because I just couldn't get through on Earthlink. Hotel phone systems usually suck.
At home, I have found that I actually get a faster connection and better ping using AOL rather than the Earthlink (no matter whether I'm using the modem attached to the computer or the 3com router). But I use the Earthlink account at home 99.5% of the time.
Is it worth the $22 for AOL: not currently for me. Is it worth the $5 to keep a well established email address: yes. I have only given my email address for earthlink to a couple friends and no companies and I have been starting to get spam on it.🙁 Most of my AOL spam is actually forwarded from my yahoo account.
Just a couple things that I wanted to share.
 
in my opinion, aol is the worst isp you can possible have.
they charge you money (a lot too) to use their services, yet their services are slow.
i had it a long time ago for a month just because it was free.
i really couldn't stand it because of all the ad's and because you have to install their terrible software.
aol subscribers are better off throwing their money down the toilet.
 


<< 1) over 600 registry edits I want a list.

2) Literally slows down system and internet connection Really? I must not have it installed properly then. Current connection speed is 1215768 bps. It is using a massive 4.8 mb of system memory.

3) AOL = Spyware What spyware?

4) It is just too DAMN expensive I don't agree but some peole think pay $1 is too much for access.

What is the max attachment size that you can receive? Unlimited So I can send you a 600 mb .iso file? I doubt that.

How many emails with your max attachment size can you receive? Unknown, But I will look into it Probably only a couple.

How many emails can you have in your mailbox? 1500 and counting You have 1500 emails online or downloaded to your computer? That is two different things. No company I know of limits what you can have on your pc but they all limit what you have online to keep their servers from being overloaded.

Yeah you need a licence to drive, or hunt but any clown can have a child or buy a computer And you are living proof.
 >>

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top