# Cecil off AOL? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 13, 1999, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714 "1999-04-13T16:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 1999, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/1 "1999-04-13T16:07:00Z")
I want to congradulate the SD staff on their recent departure from AOL. Many 'net people have been wondering why the smartest man in the world would even be SEEN on AOL! Looking forward to the web page improvements (so far so excellent!) -Masferret ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 1999, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/2 "1999-04-13T23:30:00Z")
I wonder why you’d wonder… Cecil got **PAID** for being on AOL. In those balmy days, AOL was trying to attract interesting sites by paying organizations to set up a page with them. The reason Cecil left AOL was that they decided they’d stop paying. Cecil has always been smart enough to take a buck when it’s offered. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 1999, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/3 "1999-04-14T01:43:00Z")
There’s also the fact that AOL is probably the one place that needs Cecil the most. "But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” 😉 * * * nuqDaq yuch Dapol? (Where do you keep the chocolate?) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 1999, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/4 "1999-04-14T07:25:00Z")
Great, now people can feel superior to other people because of their online service provider. Just what the world needed, another form of prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 1999, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/5 "1999-04-14T12:07:00Z")
It’s not prejudice, it’s freedom. Welcome to the world wide web. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 1999, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/6 "1999-04-14T13:19:00Z")
Using a service provider to confer superiority? Someone needs a reality check. I have seen AOL drop much of its content over the past few years. The Straight Dope was one of the best things on AOL. By their own admission, AOL is the “Internet with Training Wheels”. Hardly a befitting home for Cecil and staff. 'Nuff said. -Michael ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 1999, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/7 "1999-04-15T03:56:00Z")
_snickers at Mike_ Who before you said anything about superiority because of ISP? The clueless and NTB\* AOLers I know are no worse than the clueless and NTB\* non-AOLers I know. The ones on AOL just seem to be more…loud…about it, thus making them more annoying. Add that to the fact that you can’t go anywhere on AOL without stepping on several of them… \*Not Too Bright * * * nuqDaq yuch Dapol? (Where do you keep the chocolate?) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 1999, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/8 "1999-04-15T04:22:00Z")
That’s right, _Snickers_, the candy bar. What did you think it meant? Read the sig, why dontcha? * * * nuqDaq yuch Dapol? (Where do you keep the chocolate?) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 1999, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/9 "1999-04-15T14:02:00Z")
Kat, the whole point of TSD on AOL was that it was one place you COULD go without being overwhelmed by the people you describe. Sure, there were some, but they were more a pest than a pestilence. That’s why we’re gonna miss the AOL group; it was a safe haven. Furthermore, that’s why the former AOL’ers are likely (for a while) to take comments like the ones masferret made a little personally; there’s certainly some truth to the notion that AOL is an intellectual lowland, but TSD was a peak of wisdom rising over an ignorant plain. And, we old AOL’ers like to think we had a part in that. Although it will surely be better for us - both us the AOL group, and us the Teeming Millions - in the end, I for one am sad to see it go. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 1999, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/10 "1999-04-16T04:09:00Z")
I’m not on AOL because I can’t really afford it. The Internet at 9.95 or AOL at 21.95, and a family on a budget and you will understand. I’m glad that he is on the web. And I’m sorry I can’t have my 50 cents a month pay for Cecil’s phone bills. (I guess I’ll buy one his silly ol’ books that he keeps talkin’ 'bout!) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 1999, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/11 "1999-04-16T05:37:00Z")
It’s a real bonus that the SD library/database will be moved to the web page. Again, it was one of the best things on AOL. It deserves a wider audience. ---
**Author:** ![Michael0916](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Michael0916](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael0916)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/12 "2000-02-26T15:48:00Z")
:eek: That someone could actually think that AOL is a place for morons only. While AOL obviously didn’t appreciate the great Cecil enough to pay him more money rather than denying him funds I am uphauled that anyone would not realize that AOL has the potential to be great. However, AOL cannot do anything by itself. While AOL may be filled with moron in the great system of the world we can rely on my 2 theories: 1) When people suck ignore them, and 2) When in doubt ask Cecil. The so-called prejudices are a good thing on this level. I’m not discriminating you because your black, have purple hair, used to live with a family of nazis…I’m discriminating you because I gave you a chance and you were a moron. What’s wrong with that? So Theory 2: I ask Cecil…is it wrong to discriminate someone on-line just because they are a moron? ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/13 "2000-02-26T19:04:00Z")
Uphauled? Is that like being keel-hauled? ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/14 "2000-02-26T21:06:00Z")
Um, you folks do know that about half of the people on this thread haven’t posted in a very long time? Why was thread resurrected/ It was one of teh first ones on the MB! –John * * * 'Twis brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gymble in the wabe. Mimsy were the borogroves, And the momeraths outgrabe. ---
**Author:** ![Michael0916](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Michael0916](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael0916)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-off-aol/714/15 "2000-02-26T21:18:00Z")
Do you have a problem with your past? Don’t like old memories? Well that’s all well and good for you but sometimes when new members come along they like to look and see what’s been going on in the past. So if you really have a problem with this I’d be worried. And besides it’s not like the world is going to come to an end. My apologies for resurrecting a topic that seemed interesting. Michael