Sam; It's typical for thoes who have not shoped around to think AOL
is some kind of bargain: Not all ISPs give the same service, even at
the local level, but if you lived in Brazoria County here is what
you can get for $14.95 a month. Unlimeted access, ( hardly no busy
signals ) Free software to much to list, but Netscape 3.0
NewsAgent, and mIRC are the main items. The news agent comes with
a pass word, and gives you full access to ALL the usenet , Usenet
alone is 3 times larger than AOL..but most AOLers are in the dark
about it even existing. IRC( internet relay chat ) is also larger
than the AOL online chat area by at least 10 times , however if your
on AOL trying to use it the delay is just to long.
Besides the above I get a home page and
1 meg storage on the server. Any one knowledageable about the
vastness of the internet and all the choises available wouldn't
think of paying for AOL. AOL always has been and will remain a
service for nubies, and thoes persons easly satisfied and who
once they get on line think they have become an internet expert,
visit usenet and the thread AOL SUCKs. This theard is tame compared
to that one, which by the way is mostly ex AOL users who discovered
they had been ripped off.
Jim
PS
I said a long time ago , AOLs salvation could be in doing a franchise
and letting out rights to individual ISPs, moores law of diminishing
returns applies to the greed that AOL has to try and rake it all
in, they are like the kid who reaches his hand in the candy jar
but can't extract it because he tries to grab and hold onto to much,
A centralized ISP service won't make profit, were small units will
and could also afford to pay for the franchise..that and with a
BYOA..AOL could become like the McDonalds of the internet, each
dial in being owned by an independent investor and manager.
Her working plan as it now is won't work, what every she makes off
adds and media will get chewed up by the overhead of tring to be
a centalized ISP..the profit margin is not there..to top it off
more and more "not for profit" ISPs are coming on line, this will
put more pressure on the amount you charge for access.
One other salvation I have not ruled out is AOLs ability to grease
the right plams, and get GOV. assistance..and or GOV contracts..
if that happens what I'v said about her so far has been tame as to
what I would have to say about that kind of graft.
Jim
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