Not to continue to bash AOL and their users, as I too have been an AOL
account member for nearly 10 years. But they have not been my primary
Internet provider in over 7 years. AOL has an option called BYOA: Bring Your
Own Access, where if you have another primary form of Internet access, you
pay a much lower cost for access to AOL by dialing into your regular ISP (or
via cable!), then accessing AOL.
Hence, in my OWN personal opinion, the ONLY thing AOL has shown to me as
reason to stay with them for so long, is my kids. AOL has simplified and
secured (for the most part) my children's Internet experience. They have
quite a large dedicated kid's section and I have direct control over what
they can or can't do in AOL. Who they can E-mail. Who they can IM. I feel
much more comfortable with them using AOL than I do the direct Internet even
with other controls in place. I, of course, have taken other precautions to
hide other forms of access to the Internet on my HD.
But AOL's arrogance in the ISP world has directly reminded me of Microsoft's
in the OS field. The attachment issue is one BIG point. Even here at work,
we get customers that AREN'T that sharp when it comes to Internet access, so
therefore they use AOL for it's simplicity. Yet, even in their "ignorance,"
they complain to US because we cannot receive their NON-STANDARD E-mail
attachments!
Insulting or not, I would contend, from MY experience, MOST (not all) AOL
users are NOT that high up on the evolutionary chain of Internet experience.
I used to LOVE AOL - when I very first signed up. After many frustrations
with them for my own use (not the kids'), I started shopping around, and
once I found a TRUE ISP, I was amazed by how I'd been blinded my AOL's
flashy graphics and colors... when, in the end, I found true simplicity
comes from just plain being on the Internet, and not following some
proprietary way of getting there.
Some harsh comments from some of the people on the list? Yea... maybe... but
if we are to understand YOUR frustration with us and our disdain for AOL,
then you, in turn, need to understand our frustrations with AOL as well.
Peace.
--
M. Shon Hall
Web and Information Development
Macintosh Administrator
Phenix Label Co., Inc.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> From: Martin Thomas-WLTM07 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: AOL Users
> Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 11:25:04 -0500
>
> Only 'good' thing about AOL in my experience. This is based on my use of it
> over 6 years ago, not anything since.
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