Goomba38 wrote:
> Steve Calvin wrote:
>
>> As for AOL, if you like it that's great but everything that you said
>> with the exception of high-speed access is free anyhow. They're giving
>> you nothing special.
>
>
> This is so true. AOL used to provide a nice, somewhat closed (safer)
> environment that was particularly easy for new computer users. Now, it
> offers very directly little from AOL itself and is even opening up the
> previously member only message boards (some what moderated, now not) to
> anyone with an internet connection. What they're possibly thinking, I
> can't imagine? Less control, greater non-member access and getting rid
> of some particularly handy services. How long can they imagine they're
> going to be competitive and attractive to paying members at the rate
> they're going?
> Goomba
>
People remain because of inertia. aol carpet bombed the US with floppies
and later CDs and people started using it and became comfortable with it.

A friend just got a cable modem because the cable co upgraded the system
where he lives. I stopped by the other night to set it up. He is an aol
user. He had to run out and when he came back I was using firefox to
browse some sites. He asked me "how can you be on the Internet without
using aol?". I asked him what he usually does when on line and showed
him the equivalent non aol method. It took about 15 minutes before he
picked up the phone and cancelled aol.