I needed to test some websites I’d built, so I installed Netscape 6.2 on my machine at work. I don’t know at what point Netscape became AOL’s whore, but along with the Netscape browser, I got a barrage of AOL-related crap on my machine. I tested my sites and then un-installed everything related to Netscape. The continuing problem?
There is still something showing up in my Start menu about AOL. The regular items are all fine, and there is a horizontal rule above Programs; above this rule, in the order they appear, are: Free AOL & Unlimited Internet
New Office Document
Open Office Document
I’ve uninstalled everything, gone through my settings and everything else control-panel related, and I’m stuck. What is that thing, and how do I get rid of it?
And on a side note, I thought the AOL browser was merely an adopted version of I.E., which Microsoft supplies AOL. Am I wrong? If I’m right, what in the hell is Netscape doing in being involved with AOL?
Have you tried right-clicking the offending menu item and selecting ‘Delete’? If that doesn’t work, open Explorer (I’m assuming Windows here) and open ‘C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu’. The shortcuts should be listed there and (hopefully) you should be able to delete them.
I think if for some reason you can’t delete it, you can create a new folder titled “Notstart” and move it into that. That way it’s still on your hard drive but won’t open up automaticly.
Also, assuming that you’re in Win98/ME, go to start->run. Type msconfig and hit ok. Click on startup. There will be a list of programs that boot up when you turn on your computer.
Go through the list and uncheck anything related to AOL. There may not be anything, but it can’t hurt to check.
For some reason, most installer programs are a hell of a lot more respectful and polite on the Macintosh platform. There are a few egregious offenders, but most Mac installers ask you:
Where would you like to install the program?
[select drive or partition; select specific folder]
Custom or standard installation?
[custom installation lets you leave off specific components you don’t give a rat’s ass about]
Do you or do you not want to put an alias to the newly installed program on your Desktop and/or in your Apple Menu?
[yes/no]
and then they leave behind an Installer Log that looks like this:
(etc)
I don’t know how we lucked out, unless we as a group have a curmudgeonly reputation or something At any rate, in case any Windows users are groaning, let me acknowledge here and now that there isn’t any built-in characteristic of the MacOS that makes this so (and some Mac software installers do just dump their damn files everywhere without asking, even replacing files we already have with older versions without our permission (killworthy offense!), so I do know how that feels and I do sympathize).
If you need to test Netscape compatibility, you might be better off by running one of the latest Mozilla builds since they both run off the same core (NS is tweaked a bit for stability and usability, IIRC). Mozilla is less likely to spam your hard drive, at least.
Thanks so much for the advice, guys. Why A Duck’s plan worked: I am on NT, and previously, I had been going into my own user profile to work on my Startup menu. That didn’t work, but when I went into the All Users profile, BAM! There was the stupid AOL thing. So it’s deleted, and my Startup menu is once again as pure as the driven snow.
And thanks to slortar for the Mozilla heads-up. I’ll remember that the next time this issue comes up.
Netscape became affiliated with AOL when AOL bought them lock stock and barrel. You need to use more than the mozilla builds those are basically netscape 6.X. which almost nobody uses because it does not work very well. You should also use netscape 4.7x.
At any rate, in case any Windows users are groaning, let me acknowledge here and now that there isn’t any built-in characteristic of the MacOS that makes this so (and some Mac software installers do just dump their damn files everywhere without asking, even replacing files we already have with older versions without our permission (killworthy offense!), so I do know how that feels and I do sympathize).