BajaNomad

Be careful of AOL

alacran - 6-24-2016 at 09:34 PM

After years using AOL, I tried today to incorporate an antivirus system, (Fortress), it did not work.
Still talked to AOL for some time, IN RUMANIA no help.
HOWEVER NOW I CAN NOT ACCESS MY CREDIT CARDS OR BANK ACCOUNT.
sOMETHING VERY FISHY GOING ON.

willardguy - 6-24-2016 at 09:39 PM

quick, upgrade to windows 10 while its free;)

mtgoat666 - 6-25-2016 at 07:31 AM

I did not know that AOL still existed. Using AOL must be kind of fun, sort of a software antique, trip down memory lane,... I'll need a Gateway desktop and a palm pilot to round out the nostalgia package.

willardguy - 6-25-2016 at 10:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
I did not know that AOL still existed. Using AOL must be kind of fun, sort of a software antique, trip down memory lane,... I'll need a Gateway desktop and a palm pilot to round out the nostalgia package.


they claim more than two and a half million folks are still paying for AOL service, they never got the memo! ;D

David K - 6-25-2016 at 11:34 AM

So, is it Internet Explorer or Google Chrome or Firefox we are mostly using to get online?

AKgringo - 6-25-2016 at 01:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
So, is it Internet Explorer or Google Chrome or Firefox we are mostly using to get online?


Since I upgraded to Windows 10, I have been using 'Microsoft Edge' to get to the few sites that I use. It has fewer ad's and sponsored pseudo-news articles than I get when I use Google to visit the same sites.

When I travel, I carry a low value laptop that has limited processing ability. Depending on where you find a WIFI signal, one search engine may work better or worse than you are accustomed to, so when I find a terrible connection, I do a speed test on several programs to see which one works best.

On my crappy travel unit, Edge is performing best with Windows 10

I hope this isn't too far off topic!

Bajahowodd - 6-25-2016 at 04:03 PM

You've got mail!!:P

KurtG - 6-25-2016 at 04:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
I did not know that AOL still existed. Using AOL must be kind of fun, sort of a software antique, trip down memory lane,... I'll need a Gateway desktop and a palm pilot to round out the nostalgia package.


they claim more than two and a half million folks are still paying for AOL service, they never got the memo! ;D


While I also use Gmail I still have my AOL mail address that I've had for 20 or more years and it works fine. There is no cost. Don't know why anyone would pay for it.

gsbotanico - 6-25-2016 at 04:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG  
While I also use Gmail I still have my AOL mail address that I've had for 20 or more years and it works fine. There is no cost. Don't know why anyone would pay for it.

I too still have my AOL email account. I also use gmail and my ISP email. It's useful to have three different accounts.

woody with a view - 6-25-2016 at 04:59 PM

doesn't every ISP offer at least 5 email addresses per account? mine offers 10 and we use 2. one is a spam address for contests and other times when a company asks for it.

WideAngleWandering - 6-25-2016 at 05:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG  
While I also use Gmail I still have my AOL mail address that I've had for 20 or more years and it works fine. There is no cost. Don't know why anyone would pay for it.


With the rise of Gmail/Hotmail/etc AOL made their web-based email free. However, they still have paying dial-up customers.

Some of them use it because broadband isn't available.

Others have been paying for it for two decades and never bothered to cancel the bill when they moved off their dial-up service. AOL just keeps cashing the proverbial checks.

[Edited on 2016-6-26 by WideAngleWandering]

David K - 6-25-2016 at 05:12 PM

Are we getting browsers and email servers mixed up? AOL was both, but Microsoft has Internet Explorer and Hotmail. Google has Chrome and Gmail. Is that right?

WideAngleWandering - 6-25-2016 at 05:18 PM

Yes, that's right. The other factor is the actual connection to the network. AOL sold that as well, as a dial-up connection using a modem over analog phone lines, so they could be your Internet Service Provider.

That dial-up service still exists.

Their browser does not.

Their web-based mail still does.

You can use AOL dial-up, with Google Chrome, to access Microsoft webmail if you want to. It'll cost $14.95 or so a month to AOL as your ISP. Many people still do this. Some knowing. Some not.

You can use your home broadband with Mozilla Firefox/Google Chrome/Microsoft IE/Edge to access Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo mail/AOL webmail for free (other than what you pay your ISP for broadband).

AKgringo - 6-25-2016 at 05:46 PM

DavidK, Hotmail still exists, but it is within 'Outlook' now. With the upgrade to Windows 10, Microsoft introduce 'Edge' which is a browser.

I hate change, but I like windows 10 better than 7. For what it is worth, I tried several times to install it online on both of my laptops, and failed. My son (a computer tech) had a copy on a thumb drive and was able to successfully install it.

My impression is that using Windows 10 and 'Edge' my performance is as good as I need, but both lap tops seem to have lost a bit when using Chrome, especially the POS Acer Aspire One!

SFandH - 6-25-2016 at 06:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  


My impression is that using Windows 10 and 'Edge' my performance is as good as I need, but both lap tops seem to have lost a bit when using Chrome, especially the POS Acer Aspire One!


Huh? Which OS works better for you, Chrome or Windows 10?

AKgringo - 6-25-2016 at 07:06 PM

SFandH, I am a low tech guy, and maybe I am using terms incorrectly. Windows 10 is the operating system on my laptop now. The search engines which I can choose from are; Edge, Explorer, and Chrome. I did not install Firefox this time.

When I was using Windows 7, Chrome worked well for me, but with 10, Edge is a better fit.

Why so many programs? My Acer is slow, and some programs work better with different servers. For example, airport Wifi's; Chrome worked best in Anchorage, Explorer in Seattle, and Firefox in Reno (lots of airport time with cheap tickets)

I have not hit the road using Edge yet, but it shines at the local Starbuck's!

WideAngleWandering - 6-25-2016 at 07:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
SFandH, I am a low tech guy, and maybe I am using terms incorrectly. Windows 10 is the operating system on my laptop now. The search engines which I can choose from are; Edge, Explorer, and Chrome. I did not install Firefox this time.


Almost. Edge, Explorer, Chrome & Firefox are web browsers.

Each of them can use a variety of search engines, such as Google Search, Yahoo Search, Bing, or my favorite, DuckDuckGo. You can configure your browser to default to a particular search engine (so it auto searches when you type a question in the search bar) or you can visit the search engine's homepage (i.e. google.com or duckduckgo.com).

I'd highly recommend Firefox in the mix if you want it's excellent plugin support. I use a number of plugins for privacy and security reasons (for example, the uBlock ad-blocker).

SFandH - 6-25-2016 at 07:30 PM

AKgringo,

It is confusing. I use a Samsung Chromebook which uses the Chrome operating system and the Chrome browser. So the word "Chrome" is ambiguous to me.

I thought you meant the Chrome OS when you actually meant the Chrome browser.

BTW, I boot up my old desktop to a free version of the Chrome OS on a thumb drive, it works great, so I'm totally away from Windows now.

Surprised to hear America Off Line is still around.

AKgringo - 6-25-2016 at 07:41 PM

Well I am getting some education today, I really am low tech, even with a son who is a full time computer tech.

This time I logged on to Chrome, using Google Search. When I use Edge, apparently I am using Bing.

To me, it seems like I get less clutter from ad's and B.S. using Bing and Edge. I need to check out WideangleWanderer's suggestions (thank you WW)



Edited to the correct WW!

[Edited on 6-26-2016 by AKgringo]

willardguy - 6-25-2016 at 09:36 PM

those were the days, I still have some of these

Mexitron - 6-26-2016 at 02:06 PM

Just checked AOL.com....more like a Yahoo/news portal now. My mom used AOL until a couple years ago--I remember using her computer 7 or so years ago and AOL seemed to be a virus in and of itself, the amount of pop-up crap it was displaying, taking the system resources.

Bajahowodd - 6-26-2016 at 04:53 PM

In a somewhat screwed up business world, AOL acquired The Huffington Post several years ago and it(AOL) is now owned owned by Verizon. Freaky.