Ain't AOL Grand?

[Scott A. Scholl]

Thought this might be of general interest. I don't know why I can't
ever seem to shake the feeling that AOL couldn't care less about its
users as long as they pay up for their charges.

For an interesting little piece on AOL, check the article:

>
> Mike Royko

> (C) 1996 by the Chicago Tribune

> (Bleep)'n AOL service infuriates executive

A copy of the article is posted at

> http://www.unl.edu:80/DailyNeb/zzzzz/0-4-96/4-25-96/opinion/royko.html

Gee, if this doesn't exemplify excellence in the field of customer
service, I'd like to know what does!

___________________________
| Scott A. Scholl |
| |*
| ss6...@ltec.net |*
| or |*
| 0014...@bigred.unl.edu |*
| Lincoln, Nebraska |*
|___________________________|*
***************************

[Jeff Carroll]

Scott A. Scholl wrote:
>
> Thought this might be of general interest. I don't know why I can't
> ever seem to shake the feeling that AOL couldn't care less about its
> users as long as they pay up for their charges.

I don't know why I can't ever seem to shake the feeling that bashing AOL
has nothing to do with GEOS.

There's been pea-brained, paranoid, xenophobic AOL-bashing going on on
usenet since very shortly after (if not before) AOL went into business.
Personally I can't say I'm surprised to see a paranoid xenophobe like
Mike Royko joining in.

Now, there are valid criticisms of AOL, and someone who gets obscene
mail on AOL letterhead has a legitimate beef; but by and large, AOL
has established a high standard for quality of network services, and for
every substantiated AOL horror story I've heard, there are three tales
of slipshod system administration, fundamental incompetence, delusions
of grandeur, and just plain failure to give a shit on the part of
small-time (and occasionally not-so-small-time) local ISPs.

I'm not cheerleading for AOL here, and I don't go out of my way to
defend them, but you crossed my path, pal, and I AM very, very tired of
puerile, malinformed AOL-bashing. There's a newsgroup for that (note
directed followups), and there's a reason why most of us don't read it.

Go away.

jkc