Opinions invited

[BeeE586]

I have been with AOL since first going on the net in 2004 with only the odd glitch which I suppose everyone gets from time to time. Recently a major glitch developed due, it was thought, to an update from AVG causing a blockage. TG, my IT guru suggested I try Internet Explorer and Firefox and has temporarily taken AOL off the computer. The only problem here was that I lost my stored Favourites and am having to find them all again. Then a problem arose when I found I could not print a list of names from the IGI when I was in IE, but could print from Firefox. I had never had any difficulties printing from the net in AOL so this threw me a bit as I thought the fault was somehow with me, not with the server which apperently it is.

TG has now suggested that I might be happier going back to AOL and downloading the newest version, even though in his opinion it does not perform as well as the other two. What does anyone else think ? I must agree that both IE and FF work much more quickly than did AOL.

I am on Windows XP Home, and even though I have used a computer for 25 years and been on the net for 5. I do not understand the workings, so no long words please.

All thoughts welcome and much appreciated.

Eileen

[MarkJ]

Disclaimer - I used to be a volunteer for AOL ;)

Several things here Eileen.
My first question is - did this glitch happen when the latest Microsoft patch was added to your machine? The latest one - with the fix for a DNS issue (which affects Microsoft systems only - despite what the BBC say!) has caused problems for a lot of people. The firewall, Zone Alarm, was one victim of the "fix" along with other programs, which stopped people accessing the interwebby.

Right, AOL.
I assume you are still actually using AOL as your service provider and that you are just not using the browser side of things?
The AOL browser is basically a modified version of Internet Explorer. It has some differences, but deep underneath the exterior is IE. Years ago (back with AOL4 or so) it used Netscape, but changed to IE based version with AOL 5 or 6.
Because of the added "features", the AOL version does tend to be a little slower than the straight IE or Firefox.
Most of the people I used to speak to (on the tech side of AOLs volunteer team) tended to use a straight browser, rather than the AOL one purely because it was quicker. However, a lot of people like the AOL "portal" thing - the front page where you can access the various AOL features. I tended to use both AOLs version and other browsers, as it allowed me to see what problems members were having. At that time, it was quite difficult to use AOL as your ISP and not use their browser/email client. But, realising the needs of members, they introduced a seperate mail agent called AOL Communicator (which is basically the Mozilla Thunderbird mail client) and made it easier to use other browsers.

Which one will suit you is going to be your own personal preference Eileen. The AOL browser works OK (although it did used to have problems with the odd website - e.g a certain UK bank which I - with other members - managed to get to change the coding on their site so AOL worked!) and a lot of "less technical" or "casual" users prefer it.
The more techie types tend to go for the IE or Firefox browsers - based on speed and, in many cases, no interest in the AOL front page gossip ;)

One argument for the AOL browser - it is actually less vulnerable to malware than the standard Internet Explorer.

You have tried the different options and are probably the best person to decide which suits your style best. There is nothing wrong with having both the AOL browser and a Firefox install as well. Then you can choose to use whichever suits you best for the job in hand.

Hope this helps a little,

Cheers,
Mark

[busyglen]

As both of you know (Eileen & Mark) I also use AOL and have done so since I acquired a computer some 8 years ago. Apart from the odd glitch, through various reasons of changes and updates by AOL, I have had very few problems overall (when you consider that a lot of people have had various problems on other ISPs).

However, since AOL have transferred over files to a different system (I haven't a clue what, but I know I had to load the new files etc a while back) I have had the odd problem when signing on. I also have an Internet Explorer now appear on my tool bar, everytime I log on, (which I didn't before) and it also occasionally comes up with an error, which I by-pass and everything is ok.

If you are talking about the update which keeps appearing on my PC everytime I log on, (which appears to be regarding Microsoft) I was a bit wary of doing the update, until I knew what it was all about. Have you loaded that Eileen? If so, could that be the problem, which Mark has mentioned? If it is, I won't upload it, if it's going to cause a problem. My PC is going a bit slow at the moment, as once I loaded the new files at the changeover with AOL, it re- loaded the spyware, which I had disabled, as it causes the loading at startup to run really slow. I am not sure how to disable it, so I have left it at the moment.

As far as I am concerned, Eileen, I still prefer AOL, as it is something I am familiar with and I have had very few issues that I haven't been able to solve one way or another.

Glenys

[busyglen]

One other thought Eileen....I NEVER, rush to put on the newest version of AOL, for the simple reason that there are always problems with each version. I always wait six months at least, for them to solve any issues that always turn up when a new version is added. It saves a lot of frustration. That's my personal view, but others may think differently.

Glenys

[Peter_uk_can]

Of course it is each to their own.

I have only used AOL for about 20 minutes out of the 11 years I have had a computer. I have never liked its dictatorial approach. Also never had AVG. Used to have Norton but now our internet provider gives us aall the protection we need.

Have stayed with Explorer, now on IE7 and Outlook for the e-mail.

Never lost a computer file in all that time or had a virus that messed up the system.

I just like simple.

[MarkJ]

To disable the junk Glenys, you can use a tool called msconfig ;)
If you go to the Start menu, then select "Run", then type in msconfig

Once that starts, click the far right tab, called Startup.
That lists the programs which are loaded at start up as it suggests :)

You need to be a little bit careful with what you uncheck - if you select something incorrectly, you could make your computer play up or not start up correctly.
Theoretically, all the programs listed should be OK as Windows itself and vital things load via Windows Services - but I would still only uncheck those items you know are not ones you want!
When I used Windows, I used to disable stuff which I didn't need all the time - such as printer stuff or scanner items. They will load when you need to use the printer or scanner and there is no need for those things to be hogging your memory "just in case" unless you spend all your time printing or need instant printing.. But that is just me :)

In case anyone is wondering, I also found AOL to be a very reliable system :) I used the dial up version and had no trouble at all with it. I ended up getting broadband and, because of my requirements to run a specific Linux based firewall/router system, I couldn't use the AOL broadband. I still worked on the AOL volunteer team for a while after that though - accessing via my new ISP. But the refusal to support Linux - despite the work that several of us did to get AOL working with Linux - eventually made me give up the fight.
If AOL had worked with us on the Linux thing, I would still be using them today.

Mark

[busyglen]

Of course it is each to their own.

I have only used AOL for about 20 minutes out of the 11 years I have had a computer. I have never liked its dictatorial approach. Also never had AVG. Used to have Norton but now our internet provider gives us aall the protection we need.

Have stayed with Explorer, now on IE7 and Outlook for the e-mail.

Never lost a computer file in all that time or had a virus that messed up the system.

I just like simple.

Shhh! Peter......never say `never'! Someone always hears! ;)


Glenys

[busyglen]

Thanks for that information Mark, I `may' try that, when I can find the time, which I'm sadly lacking at the moment. ;)

(I feel another holiday coming on!) ;)

Glen

[Peter_uk_can]

Shhh! Peter......never say `never'! Someone always hears! ;)


Glenys

Nah !!!..... not when I'm talking .. Life's lessons learnt

[harfin]

From my own personal experiences:

forget AOL (and Tiscali too)
ditch IE and OE
use open-source software
buy firewall and AV programme
And if I was a really courageous (and real computer savvy person) person, I'd go to Linux and ditch Windows and Gates once and for all :D

Good luck
Alan

[MarkJ]

From my own personal experiences:
forget AOL (and Tiscali too)
ditch IE and OE
use open-source software
buy firewall and AV programmeAnd if I was a really courageous (and real computer savvy person) person, I'd go to Linux and ditch Windows and Gates once and for all :D

Good luck
Alan

All ISPs have their good and bad points ;) AOL was, to be fair, never an issue for me - they worked fine. My current ISP are a pile of pants - like many, they were fine at first, but since being taken over by another large company, they have been a dead loss.
IE and Outlook Express, whilst I have my own views on those, suit many people and the main thing is that the user is happy with their programs. Yes, they are perhaps not as secure as some, but familiarity makes things easy to use.
A firewall and anti virus - together with a malware program such as Spybot S&D or AdAware - are vital for any Windows user. Firewalls are slightly less vital in some ways these days (as a seperate item) - Windows comes with its own firewall and most folks use a router nowadays which also helps to protect their machine(s).

I *do* use Linux - have done for several years and it is now actually very user friendly (although occasionally people do get snags - but then, there are snags with Windows too!). I do not run Windows at all - but plenty of people do and that is fine :)

Mark :)

[Neil Wilson]

When I first went online, I worked under this system
My phone line was (still is) BT.
The internet will be coming through the phone line.
Therefore I will use BT for my ISP.

OK, flawed reasoning but only had one major connection problem which was sorted by a quick phone call. Moved houses a few times and was only without connection straight away the last time due to the exchange being upgraded.
BT provide my free AV and firewall (Nortons) and I use IE7 and FireFox for browsers. It is in a package with my phone line so I only have one bill to pay.

[BeeE586]

I have perused all your posts and thank you for opinions, varied though they are. As has been said, it all comes down in the end to personal choice and needs. I do print regularly from websites so Explorer is of no use; I take on board with what is said about a new version of AOl so will wait a while to see how that turns out, which leaves me with Firefox. I will give that a whirl for a week or two - so far I am quite happy with it but we will see how I get on. I do have AVG, Spybot and so on, look for updates on AVG every evening and do a full scan every week.

Thank you ............... |bowdown|

Eileen