# Why use AOL? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 21, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751 "2002-04-21T02:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tarkus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Tarkus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarkus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/1 "2002-04-21T02:41:28Z")
Why use AOL when there are other cheaper options?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/2 "2002-04-21T02:51:14Z")
Because it’s easy to use, the email program is superb and you can log in almost everywhere in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/3 "2002-04-21T03:01:12Z")
The email program is superb? Cite? I’ve never used AOL, I’m just surprised at this little bit of non-crappiness in a generally craptacular system. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/4 "2002-04-21T03:11:29Z")
I imagine this will be off to IMHO in the next several minutes… AOL was the first online service I tried back when I got my first computer. Wait, I take that back, I tried a local bbs first, but the post office lost my check and the administrator was a total prick and it just all turned out ugly. I used AOL at first because it was fairly easy and convenient and offered a number of things I liked, especially the Gay and Lesbian Community Forum (GLCF, later OnQ, later somehow affiliated with [Gay.com](http://Gay.com) I think). I continued to use it for internet access because, as a volunteer (or “Community Leader” as they’re now called) in various forums I got it for free and for what I used the internet AOL was sufficient. Now that my latest forum (ACLU Online) has gone independent and that I get free DSL from my employer, I don’t really need AOL at all. I’m on the cheapest plan only because my AOL email addresses are out there as my contacts; as I switch over to my new email addresses more and more I may go ahead and sign off AOL for good. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/5 "2002-04-21T03:22:52Z")
I have no cite, I just speak from experience. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/6 "2002-04-21T03:45:07Z")
AOL’s email is superb? In what universe?? ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/7 "2002-04-21T03:53:00Z")
AOL email is horrible and is partially incompatible with real email isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/8 "2002-04-21T04:08:38Z")
Last I knew you couldn’t set up filters or custom mailboxes or anything. I use Eudora for my POP3 mail and I have for as long as man has been walking upright. I had AOL for 4 years (for free, my husband worked there) and during that time I didn’t use their email when I could avoid it. They have the worst email on the planet! ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/9 "2002-04-21T04:43:47Z")
I can block any email from any domain or particular email I wish. I can control what mail my children get. Opalcat. It must have been awhile since you used AOL mail. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/10 "2002-04-21T04:49:13Z")
I can block all attachments so my children won’t get viruses. Or porn pics. ---
**Author:** ![biker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce7236/32.png) [@biker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/11 "2002-04-21T04:53:48Z")
aol is the biggest consumer rip off in the history of mankind. do you realize when you log on to aol you are not logging on to the internet? you are logging on to just aol and then they decide what you can and can not do. they have made millions by giving users a very small pipeline to receive information including photos. they also block your computer from using other browsers. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/12 "2002-04-21T04:59:02Z")
I use AOL and I can go anywhere and do whatever I wish. as for the browser…I use Netscape 6.1. HowcanI do that if they block me? Where do you get your information? ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/13 "2002-04-21T05:16:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*I can block any email from any domain or particular email I wish. I can control what mail my children get. Opalcat. It must have been awhile since you used AOL mail. \*\* Anyone with Outlook Express (and surely other e-mail programs) can do that. For those interested, Tools -\> Message Rules -\> Mail. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/14 "2002-04-21T05:21:55Z")
Maybe so. But I am not open to the security holes OE is. ---
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/15 "2002-04-21T05:34:52Z")
AOL sucks. That’s, my officoa; driunk position. I need to stop drinking. But AOL strill stucks. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/16 "2002-04-21T05:39:10Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** This does indeed belong in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![RaCha\_ar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@RaCha\_ar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaCha_ar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/17 "2002-04-21T06:30:22Z")
Keyword: RDI. 'nuff said, as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/18 "2002-04-21T07:08:55Z")
What is RDI? (I stay far away from AOHell so keywords are useless to me.) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/19 "2002-04-21T07:11:15Z")
**SexyWriter** : Thank you for reminding me why I don’t drink. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![heptapod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@heptapod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heptapod)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751/20 "2002-04-21T14:18:23Z")
AOL sucks. It’s overpriced and they still rape you with advertisements and pop up windows that only serve to waste bandwidth. The only thing AOL has are pretty buttons, happy sounds and rooms like “Dads4Boyz” and “PreteenPixxx” that TOS ignores even when it’s explicitly pointed out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-aol/104751.md?page=2)