# AOL, Thanks for letting me be taken by a phisher **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 5, 2006, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085 "2006-02-05T06:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/21 "2006-02-09T00:14:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Hell, even many DSL providers are now offering scaled-down services that are over ten times faster than AOL and still cost less. National ads claim this all the time. How do they provide this service to the millions and millions of people who are not in the cities? You know, all us out here in the country with all the choices? No harm, no foul, just not as cut and dried as you might think. Gets me wound up sometimes. \*::: wanders off :::: \* ---
**Author:** ![infamousmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d6d6ee/32.png) [@infamousmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infamousmom)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/22 "2006-02-09T21:08:03Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > I do have cable internet service from Comcast but I still use AOL for some of their chat rooms which you can only get to as a subscriber. And since they are not charging me for the subscription I see no reason not to use it Hey, where do we all sign up for that kind of free AOL account? Or have you not checked your credit card bill lately? Find some better chat rooms, dude. And if you’re dumb enough to click on a link to “pictures” from some twerp in an AOL chat room (what’d you think you were gonna get, amateur porn?) then being phished is the least of your worries. ---
**Author:** ![infamousmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d6d6ee/32.png) [@infamousmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infamousmom)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/23 "2006-02-09T21:13:46Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > One, it is the best, fastest email around for folks that travel. Having just traveled coast to coast in the USA, staying in small towns all the way, I have just one word for you: Earthlink. I joined AOL when they were QuantumLink, was a beta tester for their very first PC based software (betcha didn’t know they were Apple-only when they first started out, nor that they licensed their software from a Commodore-only network called PlayNet) and have probably spent more time on their dialup network than you’ve even been online. Like I said: Earthlink. Anybody who thinks AOL is the best at anything hasn’t seen anything yet. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/24 "2006-02-09T23:00:04Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > National ads claim this all the time. How do they provide this service to the millions and millions of people who are not in the cities? You know, all us out here in the country with all the choices? Evidently you managed to quote my post and edit out the line that directly preceded that one without even reading it: > [@me](#): > > Even if you’re among the ever-shrinking number of people who can’t get broadband in your area, there are plenty of dial-up ISPs to choose from, and most of them cost less than half of what AOL charges. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/25 "2006-02-09T23:55:05Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > I do have cable internet service from Comcast but I still use AOL for some of their chat rooms which you can only get to as a subscriber. And since they are not charging me for the subscription I see no reason not to use it I am glad you posted this. I was going to tell you that anyone still using AOL dial-up \*\*cannot \*\* be considered to be internet and security savy. 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/26 "2006-02-10T07:33:56Z")
> [@](#): > > (neutron star ) Even if you’re among the ever-shrinking number of people who can’t get broadband in your area, there are plenty of dial-up ISPs to choose from, and most of them cost less than half of what AOL charges. Sorry, you were being so adamant that high speed was available on our 46K lines I did not realize that you were switching to a cost argument when I never had argued about a cost factor. You and I were only talking about speed. Of up and down speed and email speed, never cost. (How many people do all their PC equipment and internet activity strictly as cheap as it can be done and will only play at free places? I see some ‘charter members’ up thread) So I missed that admission that no ISP can go faster, they can only go cheaper. Juno, EarthBLINK, Netzero, as all my manny friends call it as they have major and big time connection issues all over the country with their nice cheap service. --\>\>\> aimed at **infamousmom** I knew all about the old days and Apples and stuff and such but as I have never had a job that used desktop computers, I bet you do have more time than I do. I only started in 96 to be a real user of desktops and the ‘net’. Been disabled since 96 and so I have spent a lot of time online since then. I am glad you are no longer on AOHell. AOHell used to provide free subscripts for their volunteer workers and guides and things as you know. > [@](#): > > (infamousmom) have probably spent more time on their dialup network than you’ve even been online. Of course you have, trying to keep EarthBLINK connected. (You serve up something that easy and you deserve to walk back from the far parking lot.) 😃 I feel that AOHell has the best, fastest, easiest email is not to suggest that they are the best ISP for anyone. I say that for me, in what I do and where I go, my experience has shown that I have the best luck with local dial-up numbers with them, taking into consideration I had them back when I was new, there was no affordable high speed anywhere and they had the places I wanted to go. SDMB for one, All my friends who I know and trust and have seen what the other ISP actually do for them has led me to these conclusions. Sorry, unknown folks on here don’t cut no ice here - especially when they tell less experienced people things that they know they can’t operate from or witjh. That is just mean. Liunx users are the second only to AOL bashers. Since infamousmom is such an experienced AOL user, she knows all about the ‘Wilson - Pope Bob \*\* Mustang / Spitfire furballs’, All of AOL knew about that and so she knows that personal opinions are meaningless, especially about airplanes when discussed by non pilots. Same with ISP fights. Some parts of the country are not good overall examples for different folks. (note, I am on ‘Wild Blue Satellite’ as it is the fastest thing I can do out here. Most definitely faster than available 'Hughes" sys. I went to local area folks and observed the systems in action during various times and weather conditions.) In the interest of fairness and possible changes of the last year, I did some time tests. Using AOHell, launched, but not signed on (signed in, got recognized as I don’t save passwords) and went to read email. = 18 seconds. Used IreFox and IE and Opra (browser open, not signed in to email account) to go to my Gmail account and my Yahoo account and my ISP account. (_FireFox, IE, and Opera._) IreFox averages = 67 seconds to Gmail, 70 to ISP Yahoo + 100 seconds. Opra = about AVG 5-6 seconds longer. IE was slowest AVG, about 5 seconds more than Opra. Individual accounts G, Y, ISP were about the same order with all browsers. What I am willing to pay for and the quality and service I get are worth it to me for all my internet stuff and computers. I use different browsers because from here, different destinations work better or fast with each. There is some AOHell places and services I am willing to pay for. Others too. (SDMB anyone) I’ll try good suggestions but if it don’t work out here, I don’t give a damn about how great it is over there. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/27 "2006-02-10T21:39:31Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Sorry, you were being so adamant that high speed was available on our 46K lines For the second time, I never said anything like this. Kindly point to the place where I did, or stop falsely attributing such a remark to me. > [@](#): > > I did not realize that you were switching to a cost argument when I never had argued about a cost factor. You and I were only talking about speed. Of up and down speed and email speed, never cost. I was talking about both. The post you quoted was my very first in this thread. > [@](#): > > Of course you have, trying to keep EarthBLINK connected. (You serve up something that easy and you deserve to walk back from the far parking lot.) 😃 And if it’s so much worse than AOL, why didn’t the massive surveys I cited earlier reflect that? Also, which is a more frequently seen OP on the SDMB and elsewhere online: “I’m sick of AOL’s shit and I want to cancel,” or “I’m sick of Earthlink’s shit and I want to cancel?” Hell, there’s an active thread on the SDMB right now about quitting AOL. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/28 "2006-02-10T22:10:31Z")
You are right and I’m wrong on all counts. Have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/29 "2006-02-11T15:26:46Z")
I like AOL. :eek: Sure it’s expensive and simplistic, but my husband and 4 year old are also simplistic. It does what I need it to do (such as get me here!) and the interface and exclusive content are pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![infamousmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d6d6ee/32.png) [@infamousmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infamousmom)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/30 "2006-02-12T07:47:36Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > –\>\>\> aimed at **infamousmom** Like I said, coast to coast with Earthlink dialup and nary a problem connecting. There’s even an easy way to get a local phone number. Sure, AOL used to provide freebies for their volunteers. I had one of those accounts for years. But they don’t exactly hand them out to the general public, so anyone who tries to plug AOL chat rooms by saying he gets 'em for free isn’t exactly making a valid comparison. AOL chat rooms have been filled with twerps from Day One. (And clicking on a “pictures” link straight from AOHell means you get what you deserve.) ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/31 "2006-02-12T21:03:02Z")
Dude, Gus…you’re making your own reality there, man. I can only think of about a dozen webmail services that are faster, freer, and most of all, require no software interface to be buggy, slow and bog down a computer like AOL does. Yes, Neutron is right and you are wrong. Pretty much on all accounts. It’s the most intelligent thing you’ve said thus far… Sam ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/32 "2006-02-13T14:46:15Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > I do have cable internet service from Comcast but I still use AOL for some of their chat rooms which you can only get to as a subscriber. And since they are not charging me for the subscription I see no reason not to use it Your Op seems reason enough to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085/33 "2006-02-13T20:35:33Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > I sure hear a lot more people gripping about Yahoo mail than AOHell mail. Do you really want to compare total availability email access time nation wide between AOHell and Yahoo. Wow. You really have tuned out the world around you. Here’s my prediction: When you finally move out of BFE and can give up AOL you will, and then you’ll be right on the band-wagon with the rest of the world talking about how they suck. You can’t say that now because you use them and that would make it seem like you suck right? I’ve used Yahoo and Hotmail for YEARS AND YEARS and have had problems MAYBE 2 times logging in. Sometimes pages display funny with Hotmail but other than that it’s free and easy and national. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-thanks-for-letting-me-be-taken-by-a-phisher/343085.md?page=1)