AOL

[ECHOMAN]

I'm curious. How many people here first experienced the wonders of the internet through AOL?

AOL is going through some hard times these days, and they are losing customers fast. I had some painful memories with AOL's service and dail-up. But, dammit, it was AOL (in the 90s) that first got me onto the net. And IM was pretty cool during those days.

How about you?

[genk]

I've never had it through AOL, just AIM for me.

screw having that crappy pile for an isp

[Sol]

By 'internet' you mean their selected and secluded part of the 'net?

[Jay]

They annoy me.

[JediKirby]

What annoys me more is their blatant lies in their commercials. I like how (Even though I dislike their service just as much) PeoplePC commercials are like "And you can keep using your favorite messengers."

AOL is like:
We offer things no other companies do!
Instant Messaging!
News and Weather!
Pop Up Blockers!
Internet Security!
E-mail!

And introducing: High Speed!

All at a low low cost of 20 dollars more than what everyone else is charging!

Seriously. Do I even NEED to explain why each and every one of those statements is a waste? The ONLY thing you need out of a web provider is reliability, speed, and support. That's it. They should give the rest of what these companies charge for for FREE, or help them find the free programs that do all of the above. AOL cashes in on people's ignorance. They pretend like all of those things are unique, and are different because they offer it. That's silly, but no one knows better.

I want to make a damn commercial that simply informs people to NOT get AOL. That's it. Just an honest commercial.

[genk]

wasn't there a netzero commercial that people in it used the disks to create this giant fish?

[LividDK]

We used AOL for a while, but it wasn't our first ISP. I think we might've gotten it through BT first, but I can't really remember.

[Jay]

AOL? More like LOL!

[- Tony -]

We started off with Freeserve, I think. No AOL here.

[Zloc_Vergo]

Shawneelink.

[Avenger]

My first ISP was Juno. It was decent enough. Didn't have any where near the headaches that a lot of AOL users did.

[Obi_Kwiet]

We used net zero when it was free. (with ads) It was craptacular. Then we used great barrier reef. (Anyone even herd of them?) then after a metric ton of begging we finally got Cox broadband.

[MentatMM]

There was an entire decade there where people thought that AOL was the internet. I never used AOL, but only because my cousin, who was an engineering student back then, explained to me that it was crap.

[LordVirus]

The first internet I used was PPP over a leased ISDN line... Those were the days.

[Zloc_Vergo]

Oi, LordVirus, some of use are still on ISDN *kicks Direcway/Hughes*

[genk]

well, there goes twenty-six percent of AOL's workforce

[Jay]

EVIL

[happydud]

Haha, it sounds like Obi loves the Cox. (I hate myself and want to die.)


Our first ISP.. augh.. what was it called.. I could boot up my windows 95 box. It's sitting under the ping pong table here with me. (Don't ask..) Maybe later.

We have Verizon now though. Their DSL is sorta crappy, but Fios (their fibreoptic connection) is to DIE for. (We have Fios now)

[LordVirus]

Whoa whoa whoa...

ISDN is still in use? That's almost depressing, as we had ours back in '92 or '93...

[Zloc_Vergo]

ISDN is Satellite internet, no? Yeah, that's what we have.

/me wants DSL so badly he can taste it

[Obi_Kwiet]

Haha, it sounds like Obi loves the Cox. (I hate myself and want to die.)

Only in the sense that it is not dial-up. I myself have wished many unpleasant fortune upon them.

[Pagewizard_YKS]

My first ISP was Concentric Networks.

Not a bad deal, even in the days of 33.6 KBs dial-up access.

[Jarl]

Ah... I had AOHell, version 666.0

-Ye olden days.

[Anakin-Paul]

I have been using AOL for about 6 years now, I dont use their software its all done via a router, but I got their adsl package on a staff tarrif when I worked for PCW so it was dirt cheep and uncapped.
Do be honest I havent had many problems with them over the years, I always seem to get a good connection and very few problems, but thats AOL in the UK

[SavageX378]

My first ISP (or should I say "online" program) was indeed AOL which was like over 9 years or so when it was version 3.0. I also had CompuServe at the same time (don't ask why, I just did) It wasn't until a few years after having it I realized that AOL back then was NOT the internet but just an online service that provided limit access to the internet. I later made the switch to SPRYNET (which later got bought out by MindSpring which then got bought out by EarthLink. Funny world, eh?) which gave me REAL access to the internet and allowed me to use my OWN FREAKING INTERNET PROGRAMS. That was a nice change

[Nikumubeki]

Not me.

[Baconfish]

My first ISP was Blueyonder, and we're still with them, albeit on a better connection. I love my cable connection.

[Ni]

I think I started with FreeServe or some such similar service. I remember spending hours downloading files at 3kb/sec. hehe.

[Wolfy]

I had CompuServe, back before it was bought by AOL. When it was bought by AOL and started sucking hardcore, then we switched to Earthlink. Then my dad finally decided that we needed cable, so we signed up with AT&T's @home cable service. Then, one day, they, without warning, dropped service for the entire county, and everyone switched to Charter. It took Charter a few weeks to play catch-up, but now we're crusing along on a nice 3mb down.

[djwguitarman]

The first one I can remember is Juno, never used AOL. Only briefly used AIM but just couldn't stand that pos so I didn't use it for years til I found trillian.

[DEFINOTELY NOT SPE]

Started with freeserve, now we're with Demon.

[LordVirus]

ISDN is Satellite internet, no? Yeah, that's what we have.

/me wants DSL so badly he can taste it

Er... No.

Integrated Services Digital Network is a digital network with higher speed than found on the traditional telephone network. Even though ISDN uses existing phone lines, it does require specialized equipment. Because the network is all digital it can easily send voice, data, and video over the same line simultaneously.

[JDKNITE188]

Started with AOL in the mid 1990's. Was able to persuade my parents to switch to charter cable (now Atlantic Broadband) when Jedi Outcast came out (one of the biggest reasons I switched was because I played a lot of JO CTF).

To be specific about AOL's subscriber losses, Time magazine indicated that AOL peaked at 26.2 million users in 2003 and is at 18.6 million this year (2006 first quarter). That translates to a loss of a little more than 29% of their customer base. ROFL LOL

[Cool Matty]

I started with AOL, simply because in my time, back in the day, there was no other choice.

But then the Gods graced us with Roadrunner, in 2000. I was to be on the test network before they opened the service fully. My roadrunner customer number is like 29. That day was the best day of my life.

Then a year later, they upped the speed to 2mbps... that was the best day of my life.

Then a year after that, they upped it to 3mbps, that was the best day of my life.

Then 2 years after that, they upped it to 5mbps, and that was the best day of my life.


Noticing a trend?

[Wolfy]

You have a very short-sighted definition of "best day ever"? :p

[dalf]

I am trying with all efforts to get mom to drop AOL. My efforts are swiftly becoming in vain. She wants to pay for a $25/mo. service that she NEVER uses, fine.

[The MAZZTer]

JG I can't find it hard to believe. TV sucks and people shell out insane amounts of money for 100+ more channels of suckage.

Granted there is the occasional good program, but considering 25% of it is ads and even in the 75% ads with full motion and SOUND have snuck into some channels, I'd rather use teh Interweb with a good ad blocker.

[Bounty Hunter 4 hire]

Yep, out first ISP was AOL. I think my dad only keeps it because everyone has that address.

[NoESC]

I had Juno. It was the free version with ads, but with a clever "end process" at the right time you could surf ad free...

[Alan]

Bah, I used FidoNet.

And I still have an AOL 3.0 CD laying around I got in the mail at least 12 years ago.