If subscribers had access to ATHM, AOL, and the open Internet (not using either home page), there would be no way to count those "eye balls" without some sort of user monitoring (which wouldn't go over too well with the privacy folks).
I'm not sure I understand the issue here. Does ATHM require use of proprietary software in the way AOL does? If they use standard IP client tools, then they can't really force anyone to look at a particular home page, can they? (I've seen pictures of what looks like a special browsing tool provided by @home, but I thought that was just an extra tool -- in no way necessary for email, web browsing, or any other activity.)
As I understand AOL's objective, it is to get a place on the cable that allows them to install their redundant "gateway" software which then allows them to force a certain user experience on their users (most of whom seem to appreciate it). They want users to be dependent on their mail servers, their chat servers, and all the other stuff that they use to pump out their ads to their users. That's a different issue than setting an easily-changed home page on the user's browser.
Of course, the other issue is whether AOL's GUI can be easily adapted to the always-on world of broadband. Since the IP address is assigned at boot-up, their users might start using standard tools and ignoring the AOL ad-supported interface. AOL would no longer have control of the log-in process as they do now with their proprietary dialer.
[Hmm... I see E.Davis beat me to the issue... but it's worth stating twice, I guess.] |
