Getting the most out of AOL

By DAVE GUSSOW

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 30, 2001

AOL pros and cons Readers give their impressions of life with and without giant Internet service provider America Online. AOL alternatives So you're fed up with America Online, or you're new to the Web and looking to sign up with somebody other than the online giant.

Hard-core techies used to make fun of America Online, calling it Internet lite and the Web on training wheels because of its simplicity.

But even the service that bills ease of use as one of its main selling points can baffle and frustrate users. Here are some tips for problems raised by Tech Times readers.

Most of these solutions work with version 6.0 of the AOL software. In most cases, typing in a keyword on older versions of the software or going to Member Services will direct you to a fix as well.

1. Getting AOL Instant Messaging without paying for AOL: Go to www.aol.com using any Internet connection and download the free AOL Instant Messenger. It will allow you to chat with others who have AOL software, but not with people on services such as MSN.

2. Reading mail offline: Go to the Mail Center to set up Automatic AOL. In the Mail Menu, click on Automatic AOL. Set it up to download e-mail to the Filing Cabinet where it can be read offline.

3. Turning off sound effects: Click on Settings, Preferences, then Toolbar & Sound. Click the box if you don't want sound.

4. Saving money when you use AOL with a high-speed service: Click on Settings, then Billing Center. Then click on "What pricing plans does AOL offer?" Among the choices is a $9.95 a month Bring Your Own Access plan if you use another service, such as Road Runner, to connect to the Internet. And you won't really lose your AOL safety net: If your high-speed service ever breaks down, or you need to contact AOL by phone on the road, you'll be charged $2.50 an hour for a slow phone connection.

5. Turning off pop-up ads: Click on Settings, Preferences and Marketing. Then click on Pop-up Ads and set your choice.

6. Finding customer service's phone number: Click on AOL Help on the Welcome screen, then Customer Service and AOL Toll-Free for a list of numbers that cover everything from billing to passwords to technical support. AOL also offers online help.

7. Blocking spam: Go to the Mail Center and click on Mail Controls. Users have choices: They can accept e-mail only from addresses they want, or they can decide to block specific addresses one at a time. Be warned, however, that spam filters do only so much good.

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