"The Great Computer Swap" or "Why I take too many aspirin in a day" (LONG)

[Jay 2K Winger]

Why oh why would anyone with a state of the art PC use AO-friggin-L?

It would be the equivalent of a gamer plopping down $2000 for a nice system and desperately trying to get Oregon Trail or TaiPan to run in a Dos window. Why??

Because they refuse to get something better.

My mother still uses AOL even though you can use their mail, IM, and message boards without actually using the service. But she wants the service so if there's an issue with something, she can report it properly.

[BaristaTrav]

Because they refuse to get something better.

My mother still uses AOL even though you can use their mail, IM, and message boards without actually using the service. But she wants the service so if there's an issue with something, she can report it properly.

RAM hogging, spy-ware infiltrating, registry-hijacking be damned. I know some freelance techs who will refuse to service PCs with AOL. Their rule is this gets uninstalled, or take it somewhere else.

[DrasticSarcastic]

I can totally get behind that. My hate for AOL knows no bounds. I omitted the conversation where I carried the tower to her car, but I did spend the entire time convincing her to ditch Aol for something better (preferably Comcast)....

[AccountingDrone]

I had AOHell for 2 months, until I walked into a computer store and saw a standup card on the counter for a local ISP, and they were half the monthly cost for unlimited dial up with 5 email accounts included and 24 hour tech service. Oddly enough I still have that original dial up account, with the 5 emails as a backup way to get online in an emergency, and I use that specific email account as my gotta register with an email and get spammed email address. And it is still $15 a month, cheap to pay for a backup and email. I dread them closing down.

[Bandit]

My hate for AOL knows no bounds. I omitted the conversation where I carried the tower to her car, but I did spend the entire time convincing her to ditch Aol for something better (preferably two Boy Scouts with Semiphore flags - faster and more reliable.)....

Fixed it for ya!



B

[Andrew B.]

As an AOL user who doesn't know how to use anything else I will only say this. I'm not particularly computer literate and this system is easier for me.

Please stop making generalizations.

[redbluegreenyellow101]

My mom still pays x amount a month so she can have her aol email account. doesn't have aol installed, just pays for the email.

[Whiskey]

My mom still pays x amount a month so she can have her aol email account. doesn't have aol installed, just pays for the email.

she know you can get the free 10 hrs/month (or whatever) and still keep her email address?

As an AOL user who doesn't know how to use anything else I will only say this. I'm not particularly computer literate and this system is easier for me.

Please stop making generalizations.

This is sarcasm right?

It would be the equivalent of a gamer plopping down $2000 for a nice system and desperately trying to get Oregon Trail or TaiPan to run in a Dos window. Why??

Because Oregon Trail is AWESOME. :|

[DrasticSarcastic]

Quote:
Quoth DrasticSarcastic
My hate for AOL knows no bounds. I omitted the conversation where I carried the tower to her car, but I did spend the entire time convincing her to ditch Aol for something better (preferably two Boy Scouts with Semiphore flags - faster and more reliable.)....

Fixed it for ya!



B

THAT is full of win. Thank you bandit.

[protege]

As an AOL user who doesn't know how to use anything else I will only say this. I'm not particularly computer literate and this system is easier for me.

Please stop making generalizations.

In that case, AOL is perfect for you. My grandmother still has an AOL account, mainly because all she needs is her email. It's much easier for her to handle than Internet Exploder or Firefox. For her, it's fine for what she's doing.

Andrew, I don't think anyone here is trying to slam you. That's not our intention. Nor am I trying to slam you with what I'm about to say...

However...when I still ran my webpages and message boards, by my own calculations, nearly 75-80% of the stupid emails I'd get came from someone with an AOL-based email account. Because it's so easy to use, it tends to attract people that really shouldn't be on the internet. People who, refuse to read, make outlandish requests, and just be a PITA when they shouldn't be. And yes, I had people threaten to "report me to AOL" because I wouldn't change my background colors, or that my photo galleries took "too long" to load. I even had someone get upset because they couldn't find any train schedules on my railroad page...and threw a fit when I referred them to Amtrak's site

That, plus the spyware crap, is *exactly* why AOL enjoys its current reputation and why most people avoid it. There are better alternatives out there. I have Verizon's bargain-basement service (not FIOS), and usually use Firefox. I don't have FIOS simply because my equipment sucks...and I can't see paying for a Ferrari, when a Chevy will do just fine

[BaristaTrav]

As an AOL user who doesn't know how to use anything else I will only say this. I'm not particularly computer literate and this system is easier for me.

Please stop making generalizations.

Hey man, if it works for you, then great. But if your computer runs slow, freezes, or does odd things at startup or shutdown it could be due to AOL. But if that's not a problem for you, or you are willing to make that trade-off for convenience, then that's cool. It's your system. The problem comes from professional techs (or people like me that do occasional "free" tech support for friends and family) who are brought systems where the owner is complaining about speed or stability problems, and don't want to get rid of AOL, when that's the software that's creating the problems.

[MournBlade]

I own a small computer repair company and man I know exactly what you are talking about.

Living in rural america in an economic downturn I try to save people money by reusing computer cases and optical drives on rebuilds.
I always ask the customer if this is ok or if they would like a new case but it will cost xx$ extra.
This is normally not a problem but every now and then I get a catbutt face look when I deliver their new system and they tell me they wanted a new computer not their old one fixed... am I talking to myself?

[LillFilly]

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/email_address

Awww, that's not fair! I have an aol address, but because it's the address everyone knows as it was my first. Besides, I have a gmail for professional correspondence

[Ironclad Alibi]

As an AOL user who doesn't know how to use anything else I will only say this. I'm not particularly computer literate and this system is easier for me.

Please stop making generalizations.

That calls to mind a quote from Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Killer, "Judge them not equally."

An excellent book by the way, well written, and the vampires do not sparkle.