-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">
</A> -Cui Bono?-
" In all, I found AOL had added or altered 229 files on my system,
including over 4.5MB of Windows system files! It significantly
(and unnecessarily) altered my networking setup. It even diddled
with Power Management settings in my Registry! "
...... Did they add stealth logging features to AOL-5 (for Windows)
to track details of how you use your computer, and send the results
back to AOL's big-brother database ? Read the above, one more time.
~~~~~~~
From: "Fred Langa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [langalist] 17-Jan-00 LangaList
1) WARNING! The "Upgrade of Death"
Long-time readers may remember my first experience with AOL 5.0 (when
I tried to upgrade a system from AOL 4 to AOL 5). I'll spare you the
details, but after trying every trick I knew to get the system working
properly after the upgrade, the punchline was "Format C:\"
I wrote about my unhappy experiences in this newsletter
(see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/1999/nov-1-99.htm#aol)
and was amazed at the flood of mail I got in reply from readers
whose experiences were as bad-- -or even worse!--- than mine.
(See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/1999/nov- 4-99.htm#aol1)
With all that, I decided simply to try avoiding AOL, but it's a
marketing behemoth that just won't quit. Day after day, readers would
write to me or to the WinMag staff complaining about AOL5.0. Then,
last week, with the announcement of AOL taking over Time Warner and
becoming the largest online/content source on the planet, it became
clear I needed a closer look:
Because I knew from reader mail and from painful personal experience
that upgrading from 4.0 to 5.0 often brought major trouble, I decided
to try a clean install of AOL 5.0.
It was eye-opening. In all, I found AOL had added or altered 229 files
on my system, including over 4.5MB of Windows system files!
It significantly (and unnecessarily) altered my networking setup.
It even diddled with Power Management settings in my Registry!
I'll detail everything--- including what files were altered, how you
can tell what files and settings AOL altered on your machine, which
kinds of users and systems AOL is good for, and which it's really bad
for--- in this week's column on the WinMag.Com site. (The full column
is far too detailed to present in an email, such as this newsletter.)
In the end, I did get AOL installed and running. If you're even
thinking about using AOL5.0, please check out the column first:
It may save you a ton of headaches.
If you're already using AOL5, then the column will help you determine
exactly what the software already did to your system.
And either way, please join in the discussion: Is your AOL experience
different from mine? Have you found ways around the upgrade hassles?
What do you think the future will hold as AOL emerges as the biggest
media company on the planet? Join in the discussion starting in the
afternoon, EST (gmt-5) TUESDAY (a day later than normal, due to the
US holiday on Monday) 18-Jan-00 at
http://www.winmag.com/columns/explorer/
(Note: if you get there early, you'll see the previous column on
computing resolutions for the new year---and if you haven't read that
one, check it out too!)
~~~~~~~
From: "Fred Langa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [langalist] 20-Jan-00 LangaList
2) "AO Hell" Saga Continues
In the last issue, I told you about The AOL 5.0 "Upgrade of Death:"
After performing a clean install on a test system, I found AOL had
added or altered 229 files, including over 4.5MB of Windows system
files! It significantly (and unnecessarily) altered my networking
setup.
It even diddled with Power Management settings in my Registry! Some
readers mistakenly thought that by using the "bring your own access"
option (where you pay a cut rate for AOL access and use your own ISP
to connect to AOL) you could avoid the networking hassles I
encountered.
Nope.
AOL appears to install everything, all the time. The "bring your
own access" option only changes things on AOL's end of the
connection---how you're billed and how you're allowed into their
system. It doesn't change anything on your end: You'll still end up
with your networking and dial-up settings unnecessary diddled with.
I discuss all this in this week's WinMag column. Some readers tried to
read the full column and join the week-long discussion at the WinMag
site a day early this week (Monday was a US holiday)--- but it's up
and running now:
In that online column, I detail everything--- including what files
were altered, how you can tell what files and settings AOL altered on
your machine, which kinds of users and systems AOL is good for, and
which it's really bad for.
Join in! Is your AOL experience different from mine? Have you found
ways around the upgrade hassles? What do you think the future will
hold as AOL emerges as the biggest media company on the planet? The
discussion is ongoing at
http://www.winmag.com/columns/explorer/2000/02.htm
See you there!
~~~~~~~
From: "Fred Langa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [langalist] 24-Jan-00 LangaList
3) 22 Million Members v. AOL: A Class Action Suit?
My column on "AO Hell" struck a nerve: Now that AOL users are
realizing how common it is for AOL5 to mess up systems, many are ready
to light the torches and march on Steve Case's castle. Some members
are so incensed at the bad behavior of AOL5 (and the way it messed up
their systems) they're talking about filing a class action lawsuit to
recover damages for their lost time and productivity!
The story also has taken on a life of its own: In the last few days
I've been contacted by news organizations ranging from CNN to
Newsbytes, all following up on the original column--- which I guess
has been cut-and- pasted and re-emailed an incredible amount!
(Update: CNN went ahead and broadcast a news item using my column at
http://www.winmag.com/columns/explorer/2000/02.htm as visual; and
also mentions my WinMag column on their website at
http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/01/21/aol.five.ap/index.html .
The CNN folks have also contacted me about doing a follow-up, possibly
on- camera. We'll try to work out the details this week. I wonder if
they'd be doing all this if AOL hadn't just bought them? 8-) In any
case, stay tuned!)
And chime in! What are *your* feelings about AOL? Is your AOL
experience different from mine? Have you found ways around the upgrade
hassles? What do you think the future will hold as AOL emerges as the
biggest media company on the planet? The discussion is ongoing at
http://www.winmag.com/columns/explorer/2000/02.htm
See you there!
This newsletter is a free service of Langa Consulting and is
Copyright © 2000 Fred Langa/Langa Consulting. All rights reserved.
SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): Send email to
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