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IT Setting AOL Free
Sven Olsen (Blog) - August 3, 2006 4:56 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 23 comment(s) - last by Samus.. on Aug 4 at 6:37 PM
"You've got mail -- for free"

Late yesterday Time Warner announced that AOL will offer its software, e-mail and just about anything else connected to the portal for free.  New members will be able to sign up for the software completely gratis, and former members who have quit within the last two years may sign back up with AOL and retain their old e-mail address and handles.

AOL Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Miller added “We’ll now be able to maintain and deepen our relationship with many more members who are likely to migrate to broadband. Providing them with their familiar AOL software and e-mail for free, over any broadband connection, will be critical to our future success. For members who’ve left us over the past two years, we’ve kept your e-mail address. When this effort is fully operational in early September, you’ll be able to come home again – for free."

The exact software that is going free is as follows:

  • AOL's software portal
  • AOL Instant Messenger
  • AOL e-mail
  • A local phone number with unlimited incoming calls
  • AOL social networking packages
During the Q2'06 investor call that took place yesterday, AOL representatives also claimed that the company would add several new features in "storage, personalized e-mail domains, video and search, as well as an update of its AOL software."  The free incoming calls is actually just AOL's version of voice-over-IP, and several of the packages AOL is offering were already free -- such as the AOL Instant Messenger.

The majority of AOLs income will now come from advertising on the network.  AOL claims the company already has more than 100 million unique visitors per month; in June of last year Nielson/NetRatings published that AOL was still the fifth most visited portal on the internet with about 74.4 million unique users per month. 

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Plain Stupid
By tactech on 8/3/2006 7:51:04 AM , Rating: 3
I’ve run it to cases where people would ask me “How do you get on the Internet, if you do not have AOL?”

What I can say only is that those people were brainwashed.

Only in Corporate America!




RE: Plain Stupid
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 8/3/2006 7:55:23 AM , Rating: 2
AOL has only existed because they have proven to us time and again the majority of people are too stupid to handle the real internet. Granted this is changing, and thus why AOL loses 50,000+ subscribers every month for over a year now.


RE: Plain Stupid
By FITCamaro on 8/3/2006 8:58:19 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
and thus why AOL loses 50,000+ subscribers every month for over a year now.


Only after practically threatening to kill the person you get on the phone with to cancel your service.

My dad is the same way. For a long time he thought you needed software like AOHELLs to connect to the net. He's graduated to using gmail lately. He still doesn't understand that the computer isn't out to get him and that, no, it doesn't hate him, he just doesn't know how to use it.


RE: Plain Stupid
By hondaman on 8/3/2006 10:57:08 AM , Rating: 5
Some people dont know alternatives to Intel.

Some people dont know alternatives to Windows.

Some people dont know alternateives to IE.

Some people dont know alternatives to MS Office.

Does this mean these people are stupid or brainwashed? Hardly.

It has to do with computer-illiterate people not being aware of the alternatives, or not wanting to explore alternatives because they are comfortable with what they already have.


Worthless
By TheLiberalTruth on 8/3/2006 7:10:29 AM , Rating: 5
AOL is finally charging what their service is worth; nothing.




RE: Worthless
By marvdmartian on 8/3/2006 8:47:46 AM , Rating: 3
If that were the case, shouldn't they be PAYING people to use their service???? ;)


Cancellation of AOL ain't that easy!
By tactech on 8/3/2006 11:39:26 AM , Rating: 3
By Rike on 8/3/2006 1:48:14 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, I watched that. I guess the horrible stories are true.

AOL is now free . . . to die.


ackages
By CKDragon on 8/3/2006 6:08:07 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
AOL social networking ackages


ACK! :P




RE: ackages
By PT2006 on 8/3/2006 6:15:59 AM , Rating: 2
Oh dear god -- as if myspace was bad enough now I have to deal with AOL's version of it?


I may be misunderstanding...
By bighairycamel on 8/3/2006 7:13:09 AM , Rating: 2
Does this equate to free dial-up internet? I hate AOL, but for free dial-up it may be worth it to some.




By bighairycamel on 8/3/2006 7:15:05 AM , Rating: 2
To answer my own question, I just saw the guy mentioned "for broadband". That's just plain stupid. "Here you have perfectly good internet service, let us degrade your service while practically taking over the OS - for FREE!"


bwahahahaha
By judasmachine on 8/3/2006 7:44:29 AM , Rating: 2
My g/f's Mom asked me how she was going to connect once she got broadband if I uninstall AOL. I just told her after Sept. she'll be fine....




RE: bwahahahaha
By Samus on 8/4/2006 6:37:46 PM , Rating: 2
what's her name? your g/f?


What is changing on my end...?
By HackSacken on 8/3/2006 10:10:23 AM , Rating: 2
Nothing, I will still microwave their cd's.




By marvdmartian on 8/3/2006 12:23:18 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget, they're good for bird abatement as well! Or, if you're really poor, you can hang one on your rear-view mirror, for some automotive bling!!


No Thanks AOL
By Xenoid on 8/3/2006 6:03:59 AM , Rating: 2
I don't think anyone here is going to switch from what they use already to using AOL software. I guess when the going gets tough, the useless software gets going.




By jskirwin on 8/3/2006 9:26:38 AM , Rating: 2
TG football is just a month away...

This is a hail mary pass for AOL - but it will more likely be one of its final death throes.

I'm not sad to see it go. Over its history its arrogance was unmatched - even by Microsoft. Instead of using its position to compete, it milked its existing customer base like they would stay stupid and uninformed forever.

Eventually nearly every AOL subscriber realized there was better value and better content out there.

AOL blew it - and nearly sunk a media conglomerate in the process.

AOL deserves its fate and I relish each and every story about its demise.




Regardign the Divine
By EarthsDM on 8/3/2006 5:51:36 PM , Rating: 1
AOL is punishment from God. 'nuff said.




RE: Regardign the Divine
By EarthsDM on 8/3/2006 5:52:04 PM , Rating: 1
Gahh, no delete button : (


Regarding the Divine
By EarthsDM on 8/3/2006 5:51:48 PM , Rating: 2
AOL is punishment from God. 'nuff said.




PC tech support's opinion
By bim27142 on 8/3/2006 11:34:49 PM , Rating: 2
if AOL dies, then thank goodness!!! we'll be receiving less "Out Of Scope" issues trying to figure out this AOL software crap that is causing a lot of internet connection problems... and AOL techs keep telling it's the computer that is having a problem......... WTH?!




Good old days
By Discord on 8/3/2006 12:34:29 PM , Rating: 1
I remember back in the good old days when AOL first logged onto the internet (we called it the Turkey Tendon back then). Everyone with any glow-box savvy knew it was a sad day for the entire pocket protector race.
Our only warm fuzzy was that AOLers became the butt of all the McRibbing we could dish out and have so till this very Millennium.




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