Well

1.)Because most people have it.
2.)Their commercials portray smiling idiots, who don't have a clue.
3.)They are constantly trying to push that crap down my throat,with free cds in the mail.

Another satisfied PC Q&A customer

Because their "Customer Service" guy was a d*#@head when i tried to cancel my account. Took me almost 20 minutes to convince him that no i wasn't interested in a free month, no i didn't want to pay $5 a month to use AOL with my new campus connection, all i want is my stupid account cancelled. He got downright rude when i finally told him that no matter what he was going to offer me, i wasn't interested.

Oh, and they would constantly kick me off if i used my connection for anything besides using their web browser.

I had AO-Hell for over a year. Let's see:

1) Constantly kicked me offline (Average of 3 times per day)
2) Constantly crashed my system
3) Software is designed for demographic of idiots
4) Would not let me do long downloads unattended
5) Would not work well with other software

Or was this just a rhetorical question?

I've had AT&T Worldnet for over a year now and am still pleased with it. I just wish AT&T offered broadband in my area.

UNITED DEVICES PC911 TEAM MEMBER

  

1) It requires proprietary connection software, with it's own protocols and adapters, that makes invasive changes to Windows, sometimes with deleterious consquences. Especially after uninstalling the software. I curse when I have to change someone over to, say, a DSL connection when AOL has been installed.

2) Their software just plain sucks, and must be running while you are connected to AOL. You can use other software, but you'll always have that overhead of having the AOL software open. Many computers are prone to invalid page faults and the like while this software is running, when they utilize other programs.

3) It is poor quality service. In all cases I've seen, a local dialup ISP provides far better service.

4) Spam, advertising and all kinds of nags to try products and services of their afiliates.

Grogan

I agree totally with Grogan's list.

Well that and the fact that it just plain stinks.

LOL ! Almost as bad as the "Dude you're gettin' a Dell" Guy !
Sorry,apologies to whoever posted the pic before,but I couldn't help it !

Another satisfied PC Q&A customer

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

How about the times that you want to just sign on from a high speed connection (cable,dsl,ect,ect) that is not theirs(AOL HIGHSPEED) and spend just 1/2 hour before finally getting connected to the service that is the highest priced for the hassel. I know,"sounds like a personal problem." Tell that to the young'uns that won't use any thing else 'cause "one can't do what one can do on AOL any where else". Besides they ain't payin' for it. Sounds like another personal problem,duh!! And the beat goes on!!!!
Mik

That is an easy one for me to answer .I like to run my own computer,security settings,add and or delete whatever I want.For an example, I use AdAware all the time,and whatever it finds,off it goes.Try that as I did on my friends computer using AOHELL.We found about 50 entries running AdAware,deleted them and he couldn't even get to a page period.I want the control of my computer,and if your on AOL,forget it they have all the control.As Grogan said it is the most invasive thing I have seen,Tuff

Well I don't know about you guys, but I love AOL .

"1.)Because most people have it.
2.)Their commercials portray smiling idiots, who don't have a clue.
3.)They are constantly trying to push that crap down my throat,with free cds in the mail."

I don't think 1 or 2 are very good reasons to hate AOL. #3 isn't that good either, just throw it out if you don't want to, but yeah they do send out a lot of CD's

"1) Constantly kicked me offline (Average of 3 times per day)
2) Constantly crashed my system
3) Software is designed for demographic of idiots
4) Would not let me do long downloads unattended
5) Would not work well with other software"

#1 is true when using dial-up, but I think they fixed it, I wasn't having problems when I was using dial-up. I think they fixed #2 too. Hey i'm not an idiot! #4 was true, I think they took off that timer. I haven't had problems that I can think of concerning #5.

"Or was this just a rhetorical question? "
Nah, I really like AOL


"1) It requires proprietary connection software, with it's own protocols and adapters, that makes invasive changes to Windows, sometimes with deleterious consquences. Especially after uninstalling the software. I curse when I have to change someone over to, say, a DSL connection when AOL has been installed."

True about having their own protocols and adapters, but I don't know about someone going to DSL/Cable. I just got cable a few months ago (and kept AOL ). Didn't have any problems related to AOL.

"2) Their software just plain sucks, and must be running while you are connected to AOL. You can use other software, but you'll always have that overhead of having the AOL software open. Many computers are prone to invalid page faults and the like while this software is running, when they utilize other programs."

I like their software lol, but yup it must be running. It doesn't bother me though. I don't really notice invalid page faults, I guess my computer is made for AOL.

"3) It is poor quality service. In all cases I've seen, a local dialup ISP provides far better service."

I don't know what you mean by poor quality service. Poor quality service as in...technical support?

"4) Spam, advertising and all kinds of nags to try products and services of their afiliates."

Ok, yeah this one I agree with, its pretty annoying.


However, I still love AOL. Where else can I find unlimited e-mail storage (Ok this might not be entirely true since when you reach about 500 e-mails, it just goes up (deleting the oldest ones), but I consider it unlimited), and 100's of chatrooms that are easy to get to (I understand many of you don't care for chatrooms)?

Sorry Mike1, Trebuchet, Grogan for doing that to your post, I know some people consider it rude (which is definately what i'm going for), but I didn't know how else to do it.

By doing this, I hope I haven't lost any respect or anything. Just saying my opinion.

This is starting to amuse me. You've contradicted yourself. Unlimited email storage, but if you get around 500 it starts deleting the oldest ones. That is not what I'd call unlimited. Second of all, you say that as if it's happened before. Mail box fill up with spam because you didn't check it for two whole days or something?

Ok, you have no problem with AOL. Everyone else must not know how to work their computers right. Is that it? I've heard that before. When I say it's terrible service, I don't mean their technical support. For all intents and purposes, I am technical support. I mean, the service itself is of poor quality. Frequent disconnects, slow response times from sites, slow downloads, pages that stall.

I routinely have to clean up the mess on computers when people didn't know enough not to stick that AOL disk in their computer and resist the lure of free trials. Even the ones where the uninstall doesn't break anything, have strange quirks while trying to configure normal network or dial up connections.

I don't like it one bit.

With regard to liking the software, one person I know can't open Microsoft Word 7 while the AOL software is running, or it crashes. The only solution so far has been "don't do that". They like the software too. Go figure.

>Sorry Mike1, Trebuchet, Grogan for doing that to your post,
>I know some people consider it rude (which is definately
>what i'm going for), but I didn't know how else to do it.
>

If you mean, quoting portions of the posts, I don't find that rude. It's what the "reply with quote" feature is for. I use it when it's convenient to do so. I'm also assuming that you made a typo there and that it was not your intent to be rude either

>By doing this, I hope I haven't lost any respect or
>anything. Just saying my opinion.

No, you haven't, but opinions that are formed without significant means of comparison don't carry much weight.

Grogan

While you may be an exception to the general rule i think Grogan had it right.

Why would anyone want log in problems when they want to get on line,disconnects,slow connections and poor customer service just for the sake of logging on to any "mostly newbee" virus breeding ground?Most of the people on aol have no idea what a browser can do or what a virus definition is.Most newbees do know how to chat and click on a button if its labeled correctly.I have many friends on aol that havent got a clue that there is an internet outside the confines of the aol box.I dont hold that against them.They have to start somewhere.I just dont read any mail from them.

It and the other preloaded online services software are the first things i delete from windows after a new install...and yes i once had AOL i wouldnt go back there even if it was free.

Vitalt

Useful Team Info

  

I Can't say I mind those cd's, my computer teacher gives out mints for them

>Well I don't know about you guys, but I love AOL .
>
>"1.)Because most people have it.
>2.)Their commercials portray smiling idiots, who don't have
>a clue.
>3.)They are constantly trying to push that crap down my
>throat,with free cds in the mail."
>
>I don't think 1 or 2 are very good reasons to hate AOL. #3
>isn't that good either, just throw it out if you don't want
>to, but yeah they do send out a lot of CD's
>
>"1) Constantly kicked me offline (Average of 3 times per
>day)
>2) Constantly crashed my system
>3) Software is designed for demographic of idiots
>4) Would not let me do long downloads unattended
>5) Would not work well with other software"
>
>#1 is true when using dial-up, but I think they fixed it, I
>wasn't having problems when I was using dial-up. I think
>they fixed #2 too. Hey i'm not an idiot! #4 was true, I
>think they took off that timer. I haven't had problems that
>I can think of concerning #5.
>
>"Or was this just a rhetorical question? "
>Nah, I really like AOL
>
>
>"1) It requires proprietary connection software, with it's
>own protocols and adapters, that makes invasive changes to
>Windows, sometimes with deleterious consquences. Especially
>after uninstalling the software. I curse when I have to
>change someone over to, say, a DSL connection when AOL has
>been installed."
>
>True about having their own protocols and adapters, but I
>don't know about someone going to DSL/Cable. I just got
>cable a few months ago (and kept AOL ). Didn't have any
>problems related to AOL.
>
>"2) Their software just plain sucks, and must be running
>while you are connected to AOL. You can use other software,
>but you'll always have that overhead of having the AOL
>software open. Many computers are prone to invalid page
>faults and the like while this software is running, when
>they utilize other programs."
>
>I like their software lol, but yup it must be running. It
>doesn't bother me though. I don't really notice invalid page
>faults, I guess my computer is made for AOL.
>
>"3) It is poor quality service. In all cases I've seen, a
>local dialup ISP provides far better service."
>
>I don't know what you mean by poor quality service. Poor
>quality service as in...technical support?
>
>"4) Spam, advertising and all kinds of nags to try products
>and services of their afiliates."
>
>Ok, yeah this one I agree with, its pretty annoying.
>
>
>However, I still love AOL. Where else can I find unlimited
>e-mail storage (Ok this might not be entirely true since
>when you reach about 500 e-mails, it just goes up (deleting
>the oldest ones), but I consider it unlimited), and 100's of
>chatrooms that are easy to get to (I understand many of you
>don't care for chatrooms)?
>
>Sorry Mike1, Trebuchet, Grogan for doing that to your post,
>I know some people consider it rude (which is definately
>what i'm going for), but I didn't know how else to do it.
>
>By doing this, I hope I haven't lost any respect or
>anything. Just saying my opinion.



Man, talk about a virtual sphincter-kisser. Just kidding, man. AOL does have some good points, mainly the chatrooms and download center. However, RoadRunner has definately gotten me away from it.

Try downloading the newest updates from ICQ. AOL now owns what used to be a pretty good messaging service and when I updated, AOL sticks a start program in my files and an icon in my start tray. In getting them off my system they took out my Ethernet drivers and in general screwed up my program.

What a bunch of assholes.

One nice thing though, the post office will survive as long as aol sends their fantastic bad deals thru the mail.

I don't hate it, simply because I've never tried it. Sometimes it's smart to listen to the majority.

Then again, we could be hearing more complaints about AOL service simply because they are the biggest, so it stands to reason that they would have the biggest pile of complaints.

JP

I couldnt justify constantly safeguarding against spyware knowing i had intentionally installed it into my system.

t_bare

Have to agree with Grogan.
I tried it a few years ago and before I went on cable internet, about a year ago, I probably tried about 3 or 4 dial up ISPs. The worst of them was far better than AOL. It is over priced and I used to get 30 or 40 E-mails selling porn and God knows what everyday that could not be filtered out no matter what I did.
And anyway, that whole package is really not nesessary. Everything they offer is out there freely available on the web without having to download their bloated software. Just get a local ISP and learn how to use Google. If you really need chat rooms, I'm sure there must be about seven billion of them out there.
H...

You're right, it's overpriced. Which is exactly why I posted this, AOL is going in a month . Also, I know there are a bunch of chatrooms on the web and ICQ, mIRC, and Yahoo, but I don't know. Maybe because i've been using AOL for about 6 years, I always think that I can trust people I meet in the chatroom there more (Yes, I know, that's not really true, but thats just the way it is with me). I always think people on mIRC are a bunch of liars. I've grown fond to AOL, and that is why i'll go back to it as soon as I can after it's gone (Unless they do something stupid).

Oh yeah, to someone before, I guess I kinda agree, their commercials are kinda stupid.

Heh, heh, heh!

AMD Athlon64 3000+, MSI K8T Neo-FSR, Corsair CMX512-PC3200C2, Windows XP Pro, High-Speed AOL Plus!

The dogs in the neighborhood stopped howling whenever "You've got mail" played. They thought it was for them.

1. They try and do things for you. Ex: Sign you up for things
2. Customer Service Sucks!!
3. Slow connections speeds
4. Kicked off alot
5. Cost to much for crappy service that is offered!

"The dogs in the neighborhood stopped howling whenever "You've got mail" played. They thought it was for them."

I totally agree with this. You're right...I guess that is a good reason to hate AOL.

It went under the wrong post!

How about the fact that right before they offered unlimited service the multiplayer games on AOL were free. (Ex. BattleTech) After just a couple of months to get everyone hooked on the games, we had to pay $2/hour for games on top of paying for "Unlimited" access.

"Is there life after death? Mess with my computer and find out."

Rosewill Thor V2 Case
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1. overload on the porn email not matter what........
2. aol is to much $$
3. they just cause to many problems with EVERYONES computer i ever work on.

but i do like aol for the fact that it lets "normal non computer users get online easily"

Hate is a strong word. I think AOL serves a function. It is an easy way to introduce a new user to online activity and the internet, and years ago it was a good value. Today it is a victim of its own success. It is no longer a good value, and its shear size makes using it an ordeal. The required software it needs is poorly written and invasive.

I view AOL as training wheels for the technologically timid. No user should remain with AOL longer than six months. To do so invites indigestion and mental atrophy.

Shelly

"A recent national survey listed changing email from AOL was the number one reason for staying with them and that I find both telling and, pathetic."

Oh man i'm guilty, I must say that I do like their e-mail. I have tried yahoo, hotmail, whatever, I like how theirs is lol...however I have not tried any e-mails with OE. Oh yeah, AOL can handle pictures in their e-mails now!!! (Most of you-Ooooh...big improvement )
Despite my likeness in AOL, doesn't mean I haven't tried out other things. I would say I know more than the average computer user.

Well said, Shelly!

Also in the same camp is Netscape, which did not uninstall properly on two computers at my wife's office. RealPlayer was bundled with it and when both were removed, the original file associations were not restored. Do you think I'm a happy camper?




}>

AOL is not a bad service for people who have limited computer skills and or people who do a lot of traveling and need an ISP they can connect to in a lot of differnet areas. SOme people dont really use thier computers for much other than occaional email and basic web surfing a night or 2 a week. AOL is a service geared toward these kinds of users. I actually had AOL service for a year...as a year subsription was a gift from a family member(back a few years ago). And to be honest the service suited me pretty good. I almost never had trouble getting connected and I never got booted off unless I left it connected and idle for a long time. I just did not use the AOL browser.....just connect, minimize the AOL browser and open IE. I got decent speeds for 56k modem and overall it was OK. Of course as soon as my free gift time was up I changed ISP's. The quality of service can vary from area to area. I had good luck, some people in some areas have nothing but trouble from the massive herds of AOL users jumping online. The AOL software is really bad, can cause problems with systems and is also obviously geared toward people with limited skills and also has the comercial thing going on. I dont recomend AOL to anybody but I dont discorage newbies from signing up if they have interest in it. Let em try it and when they develope enough sense to realize that its really not the best way to go Ill recomend something else.


Garbru

What a great analysis.

I just don't understand why anyone would pay $29.95/month for features and services you can get for the cost of your local Internet Service Provider, usually between $14.95 and $20.00. In fact in an increasing number of locations you can get high-speed cable for $30/month. Sites like Yahoo, and MSN provide AOL like features at no charge.

nomad48

I got on AOL many years ago @1200 baud as I recall and went through all (and I do mean all) of the frustrating BS you had to go through with it. However I still have an account with them. I have three computers on may cable and the only one that now uses AOL is my daughters and for all the reasons kids like AOL. I don't use AOL and see no reason to since I discovered the other ISPs available but strange as it may seem I feel some perverse sense of pride in being one of the earliest AOL members around. When my daughter leaves home I may cancel the account but then maybe not. Go figure.

Help fight cancer! Join UD/PC911.
http://members.ud.com/projects/cancer/index.htm

not gonna go over the same ones again, but one other reason i dislike AOL, they send out these disk saying FREE on them, well i know a lot of neebies that did not realize they were out of their area and got one heck of a phone bill, because they were making a long distance call everytime they connected, AOL dosent care to tell people this as long as they make their money. just my opinion but i think they stink.

I hate that voice. "Goodbye!"
My wife brought home her laptop 2 1/2 years ago and I got on this amazing internet, she showed me search engines and I looked at intestinal parasites for hours and hours. Signed up for computer classes 2 weeks later, got a pc, read magazines and found a local ISP,nightowl.net, in one of those Real Computer Help magazines, never got kicked offline and thought I had a grasp on things...
Venture out in the world to help friends and family members with my PC911 knowledge and am introduced to the "Goodbye" and a whole new web browser with advertisements and feel like I know nothing at all. I tried to reason with the voice,"Wait, don't go!" but it wouldn't listen. Turn the volume down, surf, click a link, "This page cannot be viewed offline, Connect?" Ughhh!
Had to convince them that they didn't have to sign up for MSN to use internet explorer, they could use any homepage they wanted with it...met with skeptiscism.
When I do have a problem I call Gary, he runs the place.
When they have a problem they jump through reboot,reinstall,call-your-phonecompany hoops before anything gets done.
Can't speak for all, but my local ISP really is a great value.

I don't want to be steeered towards "partners", I don't want my handheld ( except by friends), I don't want to have to click through 3 - 6 screens of crap to get where I want ( or start to get where I want ). I could go on, but most of it has been covered.

Friends don't let friends do AOL.

I would not use AOL if they sent me $29.95/month ( I'm dead serious ). I used it for 5 days (my first five) on the internet. That was all I needed to see.

My two cents.

Scott

Still Crunching To Crush Cancer




Somebody, Stop Me!

Scott,
That was your magic post #911! congrats.

When I had AOL (for a total of 9 days out of my 30 free) I was kicked off so much that I had a $90 total phone bill for all the reconnecting attempts (I get charged per dial out, even on local calls).

I got very sick of hearing "Hello" and then "Goodbye" a few seconds later.

AOL support was no help in fixing the problem.

I had to run my restore disk to get rid of the AOL install after quitting them (OK, now that I am better at registry hacking I could get rid of them without a restore).

It took forever to get passed their popup crap to get off "their internet" and onto the real internet.

Spam, spam and more spam.

Email wasn't compatable with anyone elses system.

That was my experience while I had them. Now for general dislikes of AOL.

They are very cracker and troll friendly. Everybody on AOL shows up as the same basic IP ID. AOL will do nothing to track down a trouble maker.

They try to keep everyone on AOL in "their" version of the internet. Their version of the internet is an attempt to keep people ignorant in the ways of computers and the internet. By keeping people ignorant they insure a customer base because those people can't operate without them.

I don't mind them sending me CD's. It's just more targets for the shooting range. I even pick up the ones in stores for targets and to keep some poor unsuspecting soul from signing on with them.

--------------
History teaches us that history has taught us nothing.

I hated the "Good-Bye", right when you were in the middle of something.

It was probably good for me starting out, but once those "Good-Byes" started coming, I said "Good-Bye" and "Good Riddance" to them!

The AOL interface as Shelly says is aimed at PC noobies & like so many TV channels today totally "Dumbs down" the society in which we live. The only advantage I can see if if you happen to be a technician working for AOL as I imagine AOL users as whole would not be able to diagnose & repair their own i'net problems, & it is far too expensive anyway. AOL is far too "Big Brother" for my liking.

Why load a browser that eats your availiable bandwidth, throwing crappy webpages & spam at you? Get a real browser & connect to a BLANK page or is that too scary & you maybe need your hand held?

"Why load a browser that eats your availiable bandwidth, throwing crappy webpages & spam at you? Get a real browser & connect to a BLANK page or is that too scary & you maybe need your hand held?"

Is this supposed to be aimed at me?

I don't hat AOL, I just like Earthlink better. Early on I tried to get online through Compuserve and was told I had to have software to do that, The tech then informed me that I had to get on Compuserve to download the software....????!!!!go figure.

AOL, in those days, was bold enough to send out free software through the mail, to everyone and anyone and I applauded this bold approach to salesmanship.
I think AOL has a lot to offer many users who are not like those of us here. The differnce between automatic transmissions and an old 5 speed stick. I still like to pop the clutch and lay down a little of my Dad's rubber. Though I'm the Dad now and I have to pay for the rubber out there.......

The perfect Threesome........AOL an IMAC and a New Yellow or Lime VW Beetle.

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/1690210p-1770801c.html

Nightly Reader

What can I say!

Let it go guys!!!

Because God gave us brains to USE!
...and besides, he asked.
You shouldn't ask questions if you don't want to hear the answers.
}>

I can't let it go ! I hate it,I hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate itI hate it, lol

Another satisfied PC Q&A customer

lol also

Here's another reason. From what I hear AOL blocks it's users from going to gun manufacturer sites. They won't allow you to have a gun page somehow figuring it fits in with, "sexually explicit graphics, links to other sites which Hometown deems offensive, harassment, the use vulgar or sexually oriented language, discussion of illegal activities, and /or other activities that may impair the enjoyment of our community members."

You cannot buy or sell guns or ammo from your AOL account. If you do they will eventually start watching you and issue a warning.

While AOL will freely allow unsolicited graphic porn to show up in your mail box they will block newsletters that you have to sign up for such as The Federalist Papers (they have lifted their ban on that one).

I'm all for everyone having free speech but I won't support a company who views their freedom and views as more important than mine or anybodys.

--------------
History teaches us that history has taught us nothing.

Because way back in the mid 80s when Steve Case wasn't a synonym for the Anti-Gates and they had just taken over a fun little online service called Quantum Computer Services where I had been remote staff, they stiffed me for my last paycheck. Only about $300, no big deal, but I tend to bear grudges.



Tom

Tom

Thats plenty cash back then!

Only good thing about AOL is the AOL messenger and luckily you dont have to be an AOL user to download and use it. I think its the best messenger out there. MSN messenger looks pretty good only I dont know anybody who uses it.

Garbru