NationStates Jolt Archive

(NOTE: AOL isn't letting me click the "Insert Link" button in the toolbar -- or any of the other ones -- so it's a good thing I remembered the proper syntax, or else I would've been reduced to footnotes...)

The computer I usually use is having problems, so I'm stuck on an older one with dial-up AOL 5.0 access. You heard me.

Dear sweet merciful God, it hurts. Physically hurts. Painfully slow, crappy connection. Terrible graphics -- some websites are unviewable. Random websites are parental control-blocked. Every website I load -- EVERY SINGLE ONE -- generates, at minimum, two "Internet Explorer Script Errors", and won't load until I get rid of them. And on the front page of AOL News? "Home Liposuction Arrests" (http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/couple-charged-in-home-liposuction-death/n20060731143009990011?ncid=NWS00010000000001). Jesus.

To top it all off, I was cheerfully notified that my "parent or guardian" would be recieving a report (http://canada.aol.com/help_files/parental_controls/frequently_asked_questions/what_is_aol_guardian.htm) of my online activities. Wow. And to think I'm going to college in a few weeks.

I would use something better, like Internet Explorer or Firefox (or a piece of wet newspaper...), but they're not working for some reason. I thought it had something to do with the awful connection, but then I found this (http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,9425,00.html).

That's right. AOL blocks access to other browsers.

Heap that on top of that fact that AOL was going to sell its users' phone numbers to telemarketers (http://news.com.com/AOL+to+give+out+phone+numbers/2100-1023_3-201702.html), makes it nigh impossible (http://www.afterophelia.com/aol.htm) to cancel accounts , is planning to tax emails (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/01/protest_aol_email) -- and WORSHIPS SATAN! -- and you have one seriously evil piece of software.

Anybody hate AOL as much as I do?

If by AOL, you mean AOL 5.0 (which is what, 6-7 years old?) then yeah. Course, that's why I'm not using 5.0

No, AOL 9.0 (which I sometimes have to use at my Dad's house) is just as bad. Well, the connection is admittedly better, but there's still the same censorship, the same errors, the same spyware, and the same greedy tactics. Being shackled to an older, slower version just makes the problems more acute.

No, AOL 9.0 (which I sometimes have to use at my Dad's house) is just as bad. Well, the connection is admittedly better, but there's still the same censorship, the same errors, the same spyware, and the same greedy tactics. Being shackled to an older, slower version just makes the problems more acute.

Hmm, AOL just hates you then. Fine for me.

glad I got out in 4.0 !

I remember my cousin had AOL on his computer a few years back (2003ish). His my would milk their reps for free months of service, then cancel when she couldn't get more out of them. I remember we tried to sign on. It took about an hour to do so, then we tried to download Msn Messenger. We couldn't. So, we tried to see if we could add MSN buddies to the AOL messenger. We couldn't figure out how. The only buddy we managed to add, was some person from a chat room. Clicked their name and chose "Add to Buddies"

I'm glad that they don't have AOL in Poland. they are just a bunch of scam artists.

Anyone remember the original 1.0? I do. We had that on a computer that had some kind of weird operating system that was somewhat of a cross between DOS and Windows(might've been a really old version of Windows; I don't remember as I was only four or five at the time). It, like all others, was horrible. Fact is, AOL has sucked and has been pathetic and whatnot for the entirety of its existence. And my family STILL uses it--apart from me, of course. I try to show them how they can change. I try to show my dad--who keeps it for his e-mail account which he recieves "everything truly important" into--how easy it would be to simply inform them all to send it to a new account and thus cancel the ridiculous surcharge he doesn't need, but he won't listen. It's horrible, shitty, and just should not exist at all. How the CRAP they bought out Time-Warner and merged with them I will never understand.

I wonder when AOL will move into the stealing candy from babies industry?

never had AOL (and never will) but the adverts have been enough of an annoyance for me clearly if I thought the internet was a bad thing I wouldn't be signing up for it now would I

If you didn't already know, AOL Doesn't Connect you to the internet really.

The actually have only a small number of servers. How do you view webpages?

They Archive EVER SINGLE OLD WEBPAGE on a supercomputer, and they update it once a day. Isn't that just stupid?

See, the thing that really irks me is the sheer number of CDs for "Free subscriptions" they throw at you in the mail. I've got a huge collection of them sitting in a bag in my closet. Still contemplating just what exactly to make out of them.

Frankly, though, I don't trust any ISP that has you use their own software. Juno, Earthlink, PeoplePC(It's recent), or any others, I simply refuse to use. I much prefer an ISP that just lets you connect, then allow you to use whatever normal browser you wish. That's what I do. I use Firefox on this computer and will use it on my new computer as well. I'm not touching anything to do with any ISP that has you use their software.

See, the thing that really irks me is the sheer number of CDs for "Free subscriptions" they throw at you in the mail. I've got a huge collection of them sitting in a bag in my closet. Still contemplating just what exactly to make out of them.

Frankly, though, I don't trust any ISP that has you use their own software. Juno, Earthlink, PeoplePC(It's recent), or any others, I simply refuse to use. I much prefer an ISP that just lets you connect, then allow you to use whatever normal browser you wish. That's what I do. I use Firefox on this computer and will use it on my new computer as well. I'm not touching anything to do with any ISP that has you use their software.
My ISP includes software, but it is not needed. They only let "3" computers access the web, and you need some java-script update to manage which computers have access. I told it that my Linksys Router was my computer, and I have happily avoided that mess altogether.

My ISP includes software, but it is not needed. They only let "3" computers access the web, and you need some java-script update to manage which computers have access. I told it that my Linksys Router was my computer, and I have happily avoided that mess altogether.
Now see, that's brilliant. I'll have to remember that kind of solution, should I ever find myself in a similar situation.

Now see, that's brilliant. I'll have to remember that kind of solution, should I ever find myself in a similar situation.
I didn't do it on purpose either.:D

It uses MAC address or whatever to record which device you want to have access. I went with the simple "Detect MAC address" and it went with the Linksys Router.

I've never used AOL but feel your pain.

AOL has always sucked and will always suck, move on

If you didn't already know, AOL Doesn't Connect you to the internet really.

The actually have only a small number of servers. How do you view webpages?

They Archive EVER SINGLE OLD WEBPAGE on a supercomputer, and they update it once a day. Isn't that just stupid?
Yeah, that's stupid, but it's also false. If that were the case, dynamic websites (like Nationstates, for example) would not work using AOL.

Total bull.

I didn't do it on purpose either.:D

It uses MAC address or whatever to record which device you want to have access. I went with the simple "Detect MAC address" and it went with the Linksys Router.
Ah. Well, in that case, you were simply lucky. Too bad their software is so easily fooled. They should really work on that if they wish to actually keep people limited to "3" computers(why do they do that anyway?)

Eh, We use AOL..We're going to dump it in favor of satelite internet acess..Which is being installed. Tomorrow, or rather, later today. I have a running bet going on how many free months we'll get out of AOL.

See, the thing that really irks me is the sheer number of CDs for "Free subscriptions" they throw at you in the mail. I've got a huge collection of them sitting in a bag in my closet. Still contemplating just what exactly to make out of them.


donate them to
http://www.nomoreaolcds.com/
when they get 1 million they will dump them at AOL HQ

AOL is a sanctioned virus.
My brother installed AIm on his computer like a dumbass and I was just browsing the internet the other day (without the AOL toolbar) then in the middle of using the itnernet, the toolbar fucking installed itself without a prompt asking me if I wanted it installed or any UI telling me it was installing itself until it was done.

Anyone remember the original 1.0? I do. We had that on a computer that had some kind of weird operating system that was somewhat of a cross between DOS and Windows(might've been a really old version of Windows; I don't remember as I was only four or five at the time).
Compuserve is much better! More expensive but better.

And what's worse is that AOL is going to start cutting back on some of its anti-everything crap so it can have ads that generate additional revenue for AOL. Sanctioned virus being supported by sketchy ads and a Nazi pay-structure.

OH GOD YES I sympathise. Used to have 5.0, myself. (Not my choice.)

Ah, yes, I remember the old days when my parents made use of AOL. Pure suffering. I believe we ditched at around AOL 6.0.

I don't dislike AOL. But I view their users with considerable disdain.

AOL is allowed to sell an appallingly bad product - the onus is on the consumers not to buy that product. That they do significantly lowers my opinion of them.

Compuserve is much better! More expensive but better.
Compuserve is a subsidiary of AOL...

donate them to
http://www.nomoreaolcds.com/
when they get 1 million they will dump them at AOL HQ
That would be awesome.

I hate AOL too. Once they even cut off my service because I called someone a cocksucker. :mad:

Ntl Ftw.

just use firefox or even IE. I was on AOL for a couple of years but I never used their stupid browser.

Compuserve is a subsidiary of AOL...
What about GEnie? Or Q-Link?

People still use the AOL browser? :eek:

People still use the AOL browser? :eek:

Hell I'm suprised people still use AOL!

AOL = Assholes Online

Yes, I know your pain. But to tell you the truth,I always felt that 5.0 was a better version of aol than 6.0 and 7.0 and I don't know for sure about 9.0 but just be happy it works most of the time, I guess. :)

They should really work on that if they wish to actually keep people limited to "3" computers(why do they do that anyway?)

They do that because the vast majority of consumers are completely ignorant about how the internet works. As such, said consumers can be very easily tricked into paying the ISP to do what they could do for themselves for far less money.

At any rate, proper network security necessitates the use of a firewall/router that implements network address translation (NAT) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation). NAT is the feature that allows one to share multiple computers on a single broadband connection, while the ISP sees only one "computer" attached (the firewall/router). This is a necessary security feature as it makes one's actual computers completely invisible to the general internet; with the firewall and other protective measures properly set up and running, as far as the internet is concerned, one's IP address ends in a black hole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dev/null). I don't see how there is any way that an ISP could forbid the use of such a system, since they can't tell from outside that it actually exists or is in use. Short of massive violations of customers' privacy, and the attendent bad publicity and lawsuits, what could they do?

Wow, I guess I'm the anomaly, what with my AOL not sucking or ripping me off. Well, whatever, you guys do what you want.

Wow, I guess I'm the anomaly, what with my AOL not sucking or ripping me off. Well, whatever, you guys do what you want.

Yes, you are. AOL nearly universally sucks ass.

LOLOLLO omg i freaking hate AOL it refused to let my parents stop using it. and whenever you try to cancle it they literally refuse(true story), yeah thats right, they just said "listen, im not going to do this right now, call back later" i hate them---look at this conversation on ebaums http://www.ebaumsworld.com/audio/canceling-aol.html LOL i hate you AOL. and now there all out of money, so there gonna start making all there services free. good riddance.:upyours:

Hell I'm suprised people still use AOL!
That too.

Short of massive violations of customers' privacy,
We are talking about AOL here.

I really do want to be sympathetic, but I feel about as sorry for someone having problems with AOL as I would feel sorry for someone having problems smoking crack. People complain about all the problems they have with AOL, but there's only one problem with AOL and that's AOL. Eliminate that and you will have no more problems.;)

Anarchy land34']LOLOLLO omg i freaking hate AOL it refused to let my parents stop using it. and whenever you try to cancle it they literally refuse(true story), yeah thats right, they just said "listen, im not going to do this right now, call back later" i hate them---look at this conversation on ebaums stupid link to ebaums (http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/fool.htm) LOL i hate you AOL. and now there all out of money, so there gonna start making all there services free. good riddance.:upyours:
Linking to ebaums is not allowed on this forum.