Why do some people still use AOL?

KevinP73 · 09-24-2010, 10:48 AM

I gave up on AOL years ago as they didn't have anything to offer that I couldn't get for free somewhere else. Even their e-mail got to be a pain in the arse.
Anybody here still use AOL?

Brando · Brando's Garage

That's like asking why people have palsy. Same answer, too.

krystar · 09-24-2010, 11:04 AM

yea but i got 1000 free minutes!

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

I know a few people that keep using it because their email address has been the same for so long. I remember the days of the AOL floppies they gave out constantly. I used to format and use those floppies all the time.

UconnTim97 · UconnTim97's Garage

My mother in law does *shrug*

We used to use their CDs as disposable coasters.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Years ago, I had a policy that I would not work on someone's PC if they had AOL on it. Invariably, I would rebuild the thing, spend innumerable hours getting everything perfect and they would call me and say "my AOL isn't working right". It was a joke!

BGCarrera32 · 09-24-2010, 11:30 AM

I think its because they started out with a free trial and believe that you need AOL to access the World Wide Web, or that AOL is the World Wide Web, and they don't understand the basic principles of how ISP's and browsers work.

scottmandue · 09-24-2010, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I know a few people that keep using it because their email address has been the same for so long.

My dad is in his 80's and uses it for that reason... he is on DSL and I told him many times he doesn't need it... matter of fact my old AOL addy is still alive because he won't give it up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

I think its because they started out with a free trial and believe that you need AOL to access the World Wide Web, or that AOL is the World Wide Web, and they don't understand the basic principles of how ISP's and browsers work.

and that

stevepaa · 09-24-2010, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

I think its because they started out with a free trial and believe that you need AOL to access the World Wide Web, or that AOL is the World Wide Web, and they don't understand the basic principles of how ISP's and browsers work.

bingo.

and for me it was just convenient not to change. I only use it fo rmy email on the iphone.

Rufblackbird · 09-24-2010, 11:40 AM

because they have lower standards

Crank Yankers - Special Ed (I got mail)

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Seems changing their name might get more folks in other countries to sign up.

stomachmonkey · 09-24-2010, 12:27 PM

Those free CD's became such a joke.

I used to get them all the time and the "Free" hours per month gradually increased as the years went by.

I recall one of the last ones that I got was good for something like 1200 hours for the month.

Do the math.

Talewinds · Talewinds's Garage

I recall at about the height of dialup, maybe '98 or '99?, there were lots of access numbers but only one of them wasn't considered a "local long distance" AOL dialup number, I still remember it 346-7181. That number served about 60,000 population total. If you weren't already online by 6pm you could forget it for the evening. You'd have no hope of getting on until after 11pm. It would just dial and dial, hour after hour.
What a joke. I couldn't run from AOL fast enough.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Quote:

Why do some people still use AOL?

Can't cancel it?

Someone at work once tried to cancel the AOL account in the resident's library. She got run through the script from "Bob" from New Delhi. I went to lunch and came back 45 minutes later. From the hallway through the closed door could still hear her screaming at the guy. Funny stuff.

tcar · 09-24-2010, 03:37 PM

My computer guy says that AOL behaves just like a virus. PITA.

VINMAN · 09-24-2010, 03:59 PM

My mother still insists on using AOL. Refuses to give it up.

TCar, your guys right. The newer versions of AOL with all the "security features" are a nightmare. They really screw up your comp.

Eric Coffey · 09-24-2010, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Seems changing their name might get more folks in other countries to sign up.

Yeah, I think they officially changed it from America Online to "AOL" some years back. If you are going to "officially" change the name, why keep it as an acronym for the old name? They'd have been better off renaming it Time-Warner Online (or TW.com, etc.). Seeing as AOL decimated Mr. Turner's empire since the merger, I'd want to pull any "AOL" verbiage from the company name anyhow.

Currently, AOL is to ISP's as Blockbuster is to movie rentals: outdated, behind the times, and irrelevant.

legion · 09-24-2010, 04:23 PM

I used AOL for free for a few months back in 2004 before I got broadband (when I still had a land line). Cancellation was easy. I just replied to every question with: "No thank you, please cancel my account." It only took a 5-10 times of saying it to get it canceled.

I've noticed many of the local realtors in Bloomington-Normal still have AOL e-mail addresses. I think it's because they were early adopters and don't ever want to change their e-mail.

The free service I have my home e-mail through was bought by AOL a few years ago. I technically have an AOL e-mail account, though the domain is different.

Joeaksa · 09-24-2010, 06:03 PM

I run several bulletin boards for various things (antique airplanes and so on) and the only people we have problems with are AOHell members. No one else has issues but the AOL people are always having problems logging on, saving pages and so on.

Why in the world AOL is still around is beyond me. Its absolutely IMHO the worst ISP I know of.

Danny_Ocean · 09-24-2010, 09:27 PM

AOL keyboard: