Prince

Ok. Our Internet connection has been courtesy of my father-in-law's DSL plan, and believe you me, I've been using this dial-up to the max, staying connected about 23/7. However, now his plan is changing and there'll be a 20 hrs per month limit, which obviously won't be anywhere near being enough...

For reasons I'd rather not go into, we cannot get a dial-up connection that costs more than 5 bucks a month. So, I am looking into alternatives.

We receive in the mail this AOL cd what seems to be every single month. 1099 Hours Free for 50 days, it says. Now, my question is, what strings come attached to this thing? Has anyone ever used one of these AOL discs? Does it require my credit card number or something? And if not, can I just use the next disc when it comes along?

__________________
Who is John Galt?

feelgood

I used one of those AOL disc.

And yes, there is string attached. Keep in mind that when I used the AOL disc, it was about 2, 3 years ago - alot can change so I don't know what's the deal with AOL.

They do need your credit card number in case you go over the number of days you used it for free.

You can't use the next disc when it comes along simply because it'll ask your credit card number again. AOL will compare the credit card number and sees that you already used up the free days on AOL and will charge you.

It's a bitch but ain't no such thing as free shiat if you ask me

__________________
Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

Prince

Ain't that the truth. Thanks for the heads up.

__________________
Who is John Galt?

God of Thunder

Going with AOL is a BAAAAAAD IDEA!!!!!!!!

There are a ton of horror stories (I'm sure some of them will come up in this thread) of people trying to cancel their membership when the "free" part is done.

From what I know through friends (I never used AOL) when you call them up to cancel, they get you to stay another month. You call up to cancel again, "Oh, well we just billed you, so you'll have to do it next month." Next month comes around and you get another bill. "I thought I said to cancel!!" "We don't see an order to cancel," they say. "We just billed for this month so you'll have to call back next month."

And it goes on and on.

Some say that is is worse than trying to leave a cult. The only way the one friend of the family got them to stop billing his credit card, was to cancel the card. And then, they called him up to say his card wasn't working, was there another method of payment he would like to use.

There are many other, affordable ways to get on the internet. Try Netzero or Juno. I know people who have used those and have been happy.

The best use for an AOL CD is a coaster.

__________________
I reject your reality, and substitute my own

-- Adam Savage

soopafreek

or as a frisbee... those suckers can fly! :-)

__________________
aaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!!

Crack

AOL is the devil. (peroid)

http://www.nomoreaolcds.com/

__________________
Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex.

~Halx

mrap1

You can just use a different credit card and it should work. For added protection use a different credit card and alternate using your parent's names to sign up. For example if you used your mom's visa to signup one month, use your dad's mastercard to sign up the next.
But this is only a temporary solution and you probably won't be able to do it for more than a few months at best.

Cynthetiq

I have been using AOL for over 10 years now. I haven't ever had a problem with them. Yes, I don't need all the 'hand holding" they provide, but there's just some key elements that keep me there for the time being.

I do know that the AOL broadband isn't like other DSL's where you cannot just open IE and surf, but you HAVE TO LOG ONTO AOL first then you can open IE. Lame since if you have Time Warner Road Runner service you just open IE and go.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Loup

That's what I'm using one for right now.

__________________
"If you cannot lift the load off another's back, do not walk away. Try to lighten it."
~ Frank Tyger

bltzkriegmcanon

I've used them for target practice. As in PULL!!! then about a second later BAM!

__________________
What do you say to one last showdown?
- Ocelot, Metal Gear Solid 3

The password is "Who are the Patriots?" and "La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo." "La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo." Gotcha.
- The Colonel and Snake, Metal Gear Solid 3

MontanaXVI

to each his own as AOL goes, i personally do not need all the lame pretty way of doing simple things on the net. I wanna surf I open my browser and go I do not need they keywords or finance center or homework center all this info is just as available through google and other sources.

the horror stories of cancelling are not as bad as people make them out to be. same as with anything else they are losing a customer and for obvious money making reasons do not want to lose the customer so they are in effext just trying to make the customer happy. Ever so often I get an AOL disk and pop it in just to make sure I still do not like it when my month or whatever is up I call and yes it does take you approx 5 mins or so (the cancellation people are persistent) you will eventually get them to cancel it, just keep telling them you do not want it etc etc etc.

the whole oh we billed you this month already stuff is simply for those folks who miscalculate a payment date or something a company cannot pre-bill you before the actual billing date just watch the calendar and you should be fine.

The most annoying part about AOL is probably the disks everyone hates getting TONS of these damn things and therefore the hatred is pre-set towards the company.

As an ISP I guess they are not that bad for all the pretty content you get etc etc etc everything you could need is pretty much just a keyword/portal away and usually pretty easy to find, that is the reasohn so many first time internet users sign up for it theres a ton of people on it and there is a lot of content.

again i personally just do not need the candy ass interface, aint my style.

__________________
Spank you very much