America on line

[Banger]

Or AOL as its more commonly known

Why do many websites have problems with it.

It seems its always

'Here is the link to subscribe'

unless

You are a AOL user

And this is the link..................*********

What do you boffs think of AOL

 

[centaur]

Some feel AOL is good at 'protecting' their kids from stuff they don't want them to see, though any kid worth his salt will have found a way around the built-in censor. Others feel that they are good value for money since they are a genuine unlimited ISP (though they can be very slow).
Personally, I dislike their software...finding it intrusive and 'nannyish' and their non-standard infratructure can grate a bit. You don't of course, need to actually use their software, their email is a right pain along with their browser...but you can choose others to use.

As with anything else, there are good and not so good points, but they do actually do what it says on the tin (I'm with Toucan ! )

 

[Jimb]

AOL will block entire servers that they get spam from forcing the server owners to be more pro active in filtering out shite, usually Hotmails and the like. their firewall is pretty effective and they are red hot at filtering out shite.

 

[xpi0t0s]

What do you boffs think of AOL

Don't use AOL unless you want all other internet users to think of you as a total gimboid. Most AOLusers *are* total gimboids that for example don't realise there is a difference between "This email is spam" and "delete" - they both make the email go away so why should they care that someone's server is now blocked and can't get through to *any* AOLuser, even the ones that aren't total gimboids.

Of course if you *are* a total gimboid and can't tell the difference between your keyboard and a house brick, AOL could be just what you need.

 

[Dickieboy]

Or AOL as its more commonly known

Why do many websites have problems with it.

It seems its always

'Here is the link to subscribe'

unless

You are a AOL user

And this is the link..................*********

What do you boffs think of AOL

It's shite, it's the Exxon Valdez of ISP's it pollutes your PC with a pile of un asked for crap, the very first program I uninstall from any branded PC that comes with it preinstalled, quickly followed by Norton.

 

[Trevor Phillips]

That's me.
Used AOL ever since they bought Compuserve. All comes down to trust in the end, like most things. Aol's stable, it works& doesn't cut you off all the time like others used to. Of course, the competition might have caught up in the last 8 years.

 

[Mike Werner]

Most websites see AOL users are the bottom of the pile users, in most cases to dumb to know what a computer is, how it works, let alone the internet.

I received an email from an AOL user on day on my motorcycles news website address. In it he asked what motorcycle his mother would let him buy.

I usually ignore these emails, but decided to ask him a very simple question. What age are you ??

reply
.
.
.
.
.
32

That says it all. I know that it's a generalization, but if I get some strange searches, 90% are from AOL as an ISP...

 

[Gonzo]

Back in '94, AOL was an attractive proposition for a complete gimboid, like wot I woz then (OK some say I still am).

What I can't believe is that I PUT UP with complete sh*te for 9 YEARS, during which time I clearly remained a gimboid. I would characterise my not so fond years as a paying-through-the-nose customer of theirs as follows:
- dropped connections, neither house or PC-specific
- a complete lack of ownership for even the slightest problem
- invasive software on my PC
- distant call-centres whose job it is to get you off the phone quickly, solution or no solution
- a UK management team whose basic response is "you know where the door is if you don't like it"
- bucket-load after lorry-load of spam, thanks to their all or nothing spam filters and the assumption by most people out there that AOL users will not know how to stop it.

DON'T DO IT! There are other unlimited providers out there (I'm using one) with UK support and a good attitude. If you have half a brain (like me) then you can use a slightly more thinned down ISP, you can set up a router and you can set up your own domain name so you can change ISP as often as you like without losing your email address. Not that I have but if my ISP goes down hill I will NOT be hanging around.

All IMHO of course.

 

[Banger]

mmmmmmm! seems to be a lot of anger out there about AOL.

So.

What's the ISP you would perscribe too and why?

 

[Gonzo]

mmmmmmm! seems to be a lot of anger out there about AOL.

So.

What's the ISP you would perscribe too and why?

No, no, no, no.................I've got over the anger, I've got over the anger, I've got..........sh1t, this thread has brought it all back.

UK Online.
UK-based staff, very nice people, tenner a month unlimited for 1meg, reliable connection, 24/7 local rate support, sorted out their one mistake for me spectacularly well
Small and occasionally slightly, er, ragged around the edges, crap email interface and not much content (if you want that sort of thing and I don't), not much else wrong.

Each to their own. I'm back to the therapy.

 

[judge]

Customer Services call for Wapping on line one...

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

:UK Online.
UK-based staff, very nice people, tenner a month unlimited for 1meg, reliable connection, 24/7 local rate support, sorted out their one mistake for me spectacularly well
Small and occasionally slightly, er, ragged around the edges, crap email interface and not much content (if you want that sort of thing and I don't), not much else wrong.

Each to their own. I'm back to the therapy.

Didn't UK Online go to the wall recently for not paying their phone bills? If it wasn't them, it was soemoen with a similar name.

 

[Wapping]

Customer Services call for Wapping on line one...

Connecting you now, Sir….

 

[redcastle]

What's the ISP you would perscribe too and why?

There are some to avoid like the plague. BT, Tiscali, Freeserve aka wanaddo aka orange, AOL. Its not that their connection is bad its what support you get if it goes tits up or you want to move, those mentioned above are appalling.

Just bear in mind that surprisingly enough ISP's are like most things, you get what you pay for. the exception that proves the rule is as Dickieboy says Norton. If you have it dump it, its ineffective and overblown to make you think your getting value for money.

Dont take any notice of download limits unless you download huge amounts of data. For most users the download limit is irrelevant if there is one. If you like pirated software, movies and use bittorent then check the limit otherwise dont be sucked in.

8mb download is another marketing bit of bollocks, the fastest I have seen is 2meg, bear in mind im in the sticks so townies might get faster but 8mb is ridiculous for most users and completely unecessary. If you really want to get techie dont look at the download speed look for the contention ratio. i.e number of connections per pipe.
check www.ispreview.co.uk for best providers, dont look at the price look at the service and support.

My ISP is over twenty quid a month but has NEVER fallen over or disconnected in four years. That to me is worth it.

just my take on it all so no offence meant to anyone except of course the s at norton and BT who couldnt organise a piss up in a brewery.

 

[judge]

Connecting you now, Sir….

I dunno about you but Dickieboy and Gonzo seem to have covered it off adequatley enough

 

[Droopy Dick]

Or AOL as its more commonly known

Why do many websites have problems with it.

It seems its always

'Here is the link to subscribe'

unless

You are a AOL user

And this is the link..................*********

What do you boffs think of AOL

Is not one of the issues that AOL does not sit ona verison of IE.

It originally had its own browser, and then changed to a system based on Netscape.

But, then, there are websites that get very snitty if you're using Firefox, or Opera, or, Heaven forbid, any of the Apple products.

AOL does offer a rich diet of content, which suits many people.

Don't let the techno-snobs het to you. If you use AOL with satisfaction, stick with it.

That being said, helplines based in Ireland or deepest Scotland manned by folk who impenetrable accents, and a company that does NOT publish its street address and landline numbers, doesn't inspire me with much confidence.

 

[Gonzo]

Didn't UK Online go to the wall recently for not paying their phone bills? If it wasn't them, it was soemoen with a similar name.

Oh b*ll*cks, just when things were going so well. I 'effing hope it wasn't the same outfit. By virtue of the fact that I'm able to submit this post means that the lights are still on. I do seem to recall that they've been bought by a network company who wants to get into the market, but the name escapes me.......

 

[fatty]

AOL connection is great only if you do not use there software. If you configure the connection manualy it is great. After setting up the connection manualy the only time it dropped connection is when I switched of my computer which is pretty rare. The only downside to AOL is it does not like people with there own non aol email addresses, works fine for a month or 2 then they tend to ban you as a spammer! Then you have the hassel of getting you name off the spammer list, then you are ok for a month or 2 agian.

 

[snodog]

Local area connection 2..." a networkcable is unplugged"

the reason I'm going to leave aol..........

it seems to be a continious aol problem with a myriad of different "solutions", none of which work for me.

So,, where else can I go for a reliable connection?