On Tue, 17 Jul 2001 03:21:22 -0400 (EDT), Thomas Mueller wrote: > (begin quote) > Hello: > Does anyone know if it is possible to use any DOS internet > applications with a psuedo-ISP such as AOL? > I have been told that it is not possible. Can anyone verify > this for certain? > I have also heard that earthlink and mindspring were once real > ISPs, but they have now downgraded themselves to becoming > psuedo-ISPs, and they will no longer work with DOS internet > applications. Does anyone know about this? > Another question: I know that compu-serve can be set up to work > with Arachne. Does compu-serve work just like any other real ISP > except for having to set up your number of stop bits and parity > bits differently? > Sam Heywood > (end of quote) > AOL uses a proprietary protocol for access to the Internet and to AOL proper. > Proprietary protocol is available for Win32 and Mac. I remember hearing about a > beta Java version but haven't heard any more recently. I don't think even the > regular Win32 Internet software would work with AOL. I think Prodigy and > Compuserve 2000 are like AOL in this regard, believe there are other Compuserve > modes (Classic and bring-your-own-Internet-access). AOL, Compuserve and Prodigy > are traditionally non-Internet online services. I have heard of the "Classic Compu-serve". I think this is the kind of connection Roger Turk has. I know he uses Compu-serve and he has mentioned having to set up some kind of "non-standard" scheme for the number of stop bits and parity bits. Many kinds of internet software, including Arachne will allow you to do this. I wonder if Compu-serve subscribers may switch their sessions back and forth between "classic" or "regular" mode, depending on whatever software they feel like running at the time. Because of the proprietary protocol used by AOL, then I would suppose that anyone having an AOL email address would not be able to retrieve his email by Telnet or by such services as "mail2web.com". Am I correct on this supposition? The same might apply to people having a "msn.com" email address. > Earthlink took over Mindspring as far as I know. But Earthlink and Mindspring > were ISPs, didn't have their own online service as far as I know. Any ISP offering their own online service ought to allow a standard-generic "classic" service as an an option, as Compu-serve does. > Now where does MSN fit in? I think it's an online service comparable to AOL, > Prodigy and Compuserve, noticed in 1999 (or 2000?) it was open to Windows 95 and > 98, with NT conspicuous by its absence. How is that for intra-MS compatibility? I'll answer your question with another question: If M$ can't even make their services compatible with their own operating systems, then why should anybody trust them to be able to make their services compatible with alternative operating systems? Sam Heywood
