Dump AOL!

[fugue]

I am beside myself with fury.

For some reason, my AIM screen name has been blocked. I can't imagine why. I only use it to tell my employer to open her e-mail and read it. As a person with Asperger's syndrome, real-time communication is not something I do, so I hate chat, AIM, telephones, all that stuff. My boss tells me to make a new screen name, but they'll see my name and contact e-mail address and just screen me out from the get-go.

I've spent most of this morning trying to get someone at AIM to help me. First of all, if you click the little button on "I'd like AIM assistance" on their live chat page, you get AOL Registration, NOT AIM, and they won't help you. They tell you to send an e-mail (takes 24 hours to get a response, and I need it fixed now--yesterday, in fact). They send you to "Report a Problem," which is not a support line and never answers your report. No one will e-mail me today. No one will contact someone who can e-mail me. I even go through the misery of their live chat to try to get someone to e-mail me, they disconnect me because they won't wait for me to type my responses, and I get no help! They don't give a damn that their system is built for people with different neurology than mine. I started by explaining that I had a neurological disability and would they please e-mail me, and all they give me are these damn canned responses that I told them in my initial message are no good!

If I ever considered AOL, this would lose them. I intend to spread the news of their behavior far and wide, and I told them I would. I'm starting here. I figure if anyone understands where I'm coming from it's other folks with disabilities.

[samwisefoxburr]

1. I was shocked a couple of years ago when my dad said we did use AOL...

...but we dumped it early on. This was probably ten years ago, even then we knew how sucky AOL was and still is.

[DemBones DemBones]

6. We also used AOL early on and dumped it quickly.

Newbies to the net probably make up a large percentage of their customers, plus people who are fearful of venturing outside the box, lest they run into all that porn that's "everywhere."

[AndyP]

2. You'll have to call them

I had the same thing happen. It turned out that my screen name was hijacked and someone was spamming others with porn. AOL does suck, they are over priced, over rated, and are pretty unfriendly!

[fugue]

3. But I can't use telephones!

I told them that. The only reason I have a telephone is so that people can give me short urgent messages. For instance, the lady who takes my dog to play with hers will call and say, "I'm heading out to the dog park. Meet me at the usual place." That's it. All I have to do is say "OK! Bye!" and head out with my dog.

But a long, unscripted conversation in real-time? No, I can't do that. I told them that. They didn't care.

[aquart]

4. Do you have a loved one or understanding co-worker

Who will do it for you? Do you have an emergency plan for this kind of thing (because it isn't the only time this will happen)?

[fugue]

5. No . . .

So far, I've either been able to think my way out of my corners (I'm very resourceful) or an e-mail stating the problem has been sufficient to get people to respond to me via e-mail. I telecommute, so my coworkers are elsewhere. To communicate, they'd have to e-mail me and await a response while sitting on the phone with the support people.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. Can you e-mail or give a written note to your dog walker and

get her to make the call for you?

[fugue]

9. I'll try that next time

I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask her next time.

Sorry for the late response. I've been busy. (Holiday rush. ^_^)

[Imagevision]

8. Netzero with web accelerator is awesome for dial-up $14.95

incredibly quick!

[China_cat]

10. AOL is partly owned

or was, by Focus on the Family. I dumped them when they announced the buy-in and, all of a sudden, people were getting terminated for using the word 'breast' in a breast cancer forum and we were prohibited from using 'bitch' in a dog breeder's room.

I have cable modem but my husband has NetZero without the accelerator ($9.95/mo) and it's still very fast. Other companies besides AOL have instant messaging available. You can get more than what AOL gives you for less money and a whole lot less hassle.

[Kire]

11. what's wrong with your "name and contact e-mail address"?

have you been flagged for "anti-americanism"?