Why is AOL surposed to be so bad?

[Minxie]

Hi, been with AOL for a few years, only went with them at the time, as I had NTL phone line and AOL were the only company who you could use with NTL line (this was before NTL internet) I now have gone back to BT. But still using AOL, probably due to habit, but its expensive. I have had no problems with them, but reading an earlier posting, someone said AOL was the worst you could use.

Am a dim wit with internet providers. So could anyone recommend a good ISP provider?

Thanks

[Ethel]

I was with AOL for years without any problem whatsoever.

I only changed because I wanted to go on to broadband and don't have a bt line.

Having said all that, I am now on Telewest Blueyonder broadband. Obviously much faster because it is broadband, but it is also a lot cheaper than AOL.

The telephone support is local to me, not overseas, but I have only needed it once.

I am really pleased with blueyonder.

[Minxie]

Thanks Ethel, I am with broadband with AOL. But got TV with NTL.So totally confused! I have heard Pippex is good. But so many ISP options available now. I am totally confused :0 Thankyou for replying

[Ethel]

If you're happy with AOL stick with them.

I think they get a lot of criticism just because they are so big.

[joko]

never had any major problems with them - occasional annoyances with the helpline staff.

though i have had a problem when they offered me a free gift but wouldn't let me claim it - just completely ignored about 8 emails.

otherwise not too bad. I am thinking of changing because of the BT thing as well

[Kerplunk]

I use Pipex and they are excellent, but not the cheapest. If I could get it where I am I would be with Telewest Blueyonder (Have used it before and found it excellent and also reletively cheap).

[stevie21]

Most people that I know of who complain about AOL do so because AOL continue to take money from them after they've cancelled their subscription. It makes me think that AOL do so intentionally in the knowledge that some people won't chase them for a refund.
Others complain because the service is kak

In saying that, I know someone who likes the way AOL holds your hand online and bundles everything such as the browser and email service together.

[WoWo]

I think it goes back to a few years ago when AOL and Compuserve used their own software to connect to the internet rather than the standard OS methods. This made it difficult to use and meant having to wait for it to loaded loads of stuff you were not interested in to connect to a web site outside of their systems.

This isn't the case anymore but the tag has stuck. From a technical point of view they also use special cache servers which in theory makes it quicker to access pages but from a web developers point of view this adds added complexity in system which has enough problems as it is.

[AliFlump]

I like AOL been with them for 2 years and never had any problems. They also offer me those reward gifts which i have taken full advantage off!

Also they are upgrading their Platinum service to 8mbs (is that right letters?) at no extra cost.

[OBonio]

I'm with WoWo on this. It's a hangover from the early 90s when AOL made the internet available to everyday people. The geeks of the time didn't take to this too kindly and started to identify new users on the internet by their ISP... generally AOL. The name AOLamer was born, and I'm sure is still used today, and was used to describe a user who didn't know how to use the internet.

This stigma has stuck with AOL over the years as AOLamer was passed from geek to geek.

Nowadays, if you ask whether AOL are any good, "those in the know" will advise you against them, simply because of what their "foregeeks" told them.

You AOLamer ;o)

[Minxie]

Thank you all for your replies.