How's AOL in terms of security?

Discussion in 'privacy technology' started by main, Aug 5, 2004.

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  1. main

    main Guest

    Thinking about switching over to AOL dial up, I use People PC and it kinda sucks to me.

    I know AOL is more expensive but how is the browser in terms of security?
     
  2. Well, i use AOhell and i don't like it very much (actually i'm just getting rid of it). First of all it uses IE as its engine, so your still vulnerable to all of IE's flaws. Plus it uses nearly 25% of my system resources (with the web accelerator) while i use it (i use Windows ME). What i like to do is open Aol, then minimize it, and use Firefox to browse the net. Firefox is a far safer and faster free browser. I'm going over to Access4less it's only $5.95 a month for dialup, far cheaper than Aohell, and just as good from what i've heard.
     
  3. Honyak

    Honyak Registered Member

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    IMHO AOL is the biggest virus you can put on a comp. You may want to try copper.net dial up at $9.95 per month or high speed is also available. You do not need to down load a dialer like Peoplepc. I had it before I got broadband and really liked it also still have it as back-up with daughter using it. If you are looking for a more secure browser, try firefox, opera or one of the alternative browsers.
     
  4. Oh, thanks to Honyak's post i just remembered, if you do decide to try http://www.access4less.net make sure you DONOT use their dialer software, it can cause all types of problems on your system, best to use the Windows DUN.
     
  5. Acadia

    Acadia Registered Member

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    Well, I have never used AOL so I cannot speak from personal experience but this is what I have heard and I have heard it from many sources: AOL is indeed slowly getting better and better with their security. However, if the day should ever come where you want to discontinue with AOL and go with someone else, good luck getting AOL completely off of your machine. Take care.

    Acadia
     
  6. nadirah

    nadirah Registered Member

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    I don't use AOL at all. I have lost all my trust in them long ago. The news about one of their employees stealing users' screen names and selling it to spammers has made me think of AOL as one company that does not treat it's users/customers privacy properly. Is their users/customers privacy important to AOL? My answer is: NO, AOL does not take care of it's users/customers privacy at all.
    And also, AOL bundles a piece of spyware called Wildtangent together with AOL instant messenger. What AOL is doing really makes me hate them a lot.
     
  7. Devinco

    Devinco Registered Member

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    How can they afford afford to pay for customer service when they spent all their money on coasters..er..CDs?
     
  8. Tassie_Devils

    Tassie_Devils Global Moderator

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    I have heard many bad things also re AOL, but cannot vouch personally, but Nadirah's description fitted what I ave heard/read.

    Question OT for a moment:
    CrashTestDummy had this to say:
    What I don't understand, how come you have to use IE with AOL?
    And he/she opens AOL, minimises it, then uses FFo_O?

    Isn't an ISP simply the vacilitator of internet connection. You use whatever program/software you like.

    Let me explain here in Aus.

    I go/ring/ or contact on internet to an ISP and say I want to join. All they do is take name, address, Credit card info [most direct debit them].
    I give username/password and some give a floppy disc which sets up your account, or you simply do it yourself thru a new Network Connections Wizard, and you are done. I am talking DialUp here. ;)

    There is **nothing** whatsoever installed, downloaded, etc. etc onto your PC apart from the actual connection. You just dial, connect to their server and away you go. Use whatever programs/software you like/have on our PC with NO input whatsoever from them.

    I have had up to three accounts at once from ISP's and to get rid of them, simply go to Network Connections folder, select the account and delete... Nothing to uninstall, clean, etc. Just delete and that ISP connection is gone.

    I just don't understand this AOL hellhole people seem to have.

    Sorry if OT for the original poster's question, but it was fairly well answered by some already, and this could also be a good explanation for him/her's decision whether to go thru AOL or not.

    Cheers, TAS
     
  9. Devinco

    Devinco Registered Member

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    Hi TAS,

    They just require a special dialer program in order to connect with an AOL branded IE browser. If you shut it down then it disconnects. But you can leave it open and then launch another browser. It is like NetZero ISP. It really sucks. Certainly not what an ISP should be. Most don't REQUIRE such a dialer, they just offer it as an option because it can be easier for beginners to the internet to connect.
     
  10. Tassie_Devils

    Tassie_Devils Global Moderator

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    ahh, I see. Thanks Devinco for the explanation. Now I see the problems associated if you have software foisted onto you just to get a simple connection.

    There would be no way on earth I would connect thru such an ISP like them.
    :(

    TAS
     
  11. nadirah

    nadirah Registered Member

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    Two words: AOL sucks.
     
  12. Bubba

    Bubba Updates Team

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    As with any software....user knowledge can go a long way in either being a part of the problem or part of the solution. While it has been many moons since I have used AOL....I have worked enough issues to know that AOL software can be secured. The below link is a nice tutorial\recommendation of how best to secure AOL.

    AOL Privacy & Security Preferences
     
  13. Vaudeville

    Vaudeville Registered Member

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    I'm not sure if I could recommend AOL .. it's a very bulky program that takes up a lot of your system resources and it comes packaged with a lot of stuff that's unwanted. I know that when I had to use it, it slowed down my system a lot while it was running ..
     
  14. toadbee

    toadbee Registered Member

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    To answer your post title ? - it's as tight as your IE settings, and whether or not your OS is uptodate, and what anti-malware programs you run...Just like all the others.

    9.0 includes a pure dialer as well - so no need to lauch AOL or run IE.
    Excellent Spam tools and Mcafee in and out bound virus scanning helps with security as well.

    And you mention dial-up, theirs is second to none - especially if you're a heavy traveler :)
     
  15. main

    main Guest

    Thanks, I'll sleep on it. I use People PC and I think it's the same crap as netzero, it slows down my PC with their stupin start page and damn smart dialer and it's accelerator only works with I.E.

    I'm getting rid of them, might get a local one but I'm a heavy Internet user.
     
  16. Pigman

    Pigman Registered Member

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    AOL sucks like nothing else. Trust me, I used it not so long ago... :p :blink:
     
  17. Btw, Copper.net is basically the same as Access4less.net in that they both have the 10 minute time outs. They both have the five hour max online time, and then auto disconnect you, and you have to wait one minute till reconnect. They both allow you to use the Windows DUN instead of some crappy, troublesome dialup software. With PeoplePC and Netzero you have to use the dialup software (no other choice), that is used to spy on you, at least it is with Netzero (read their TOS). I would never use anyone's dial up software. I recommend to ALWAYS use the Windows DUN.

    But the differences are A4L is only $5.95 a month. Copper is $9.95 a month, but you only get 200 hours max a month with Copper, A4L is unlimited, and where you said you are online a lot i thought you should know this.

    Also you can pay by check with A4L & Copper. (but again if you pay by check with Copper it will cost you more. Unless you pay annually, which again i don't recommend because if they go out of business, you will lose all the money you paid ahead. A4L is still $5.95 a month, which is still cheaper than paying annually with Copper) Paying by check is the preferred method IMO, if you want to make sure they don't over charge you, not that this is common, but you never know.

    I wouldn't recommend going with an ISP that takes credit cards only. I know it is more convenient to use a credit card, but you could be overcharged, and it's good to think ahead sometimes to cover yourself, just incase.

    I would say forget about PeoplePC and NetZero (Juno, Bluelight). They are a total waste of time. Copper isn't too bad, but i still like A4L the best.

    And if your worried about the max 5 hours use (then one minute to reconnect) feature of A4L, and don't think you'll be able to download huge files (ex. Windows update and other programs after a reformat) just use a download manager.

    No matter which IPS you choose, i would recommend you read their TOS agreement very carefully. I know it's longer than War and Peace (old book), and about as exciting, but you shoud know everything about the agreement your about to sign up for, if you want to cover yourself properly. Good Luck.
     
  18. Rita

    Rita Infrequent Poster

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    Hi and good eve
    i use aol and have for a year i guess--i have never had any real problems.as far as security they have added a spyware prog and they have great pop up controls.i really like aol 9.0 myself
    rita
     
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