Is AOL email still only able to run via AOL?

[tuqqer]

I've got a long-time Mac friend who still has one AOL email address. He's wondering if there's ever been a way to get it to work as a normal POP address in E'rage or Mail. Anyone ever heard of that, or does one still need the actual AOL application to use it.

[Stephanie]

I use my old aol address with Apple's Mail. It's set up as IMAP.

So, no, you don't need to use the actual AOL application.

[Sam3]

I know that you can use their web interface, just go to http://www.aol.com/ and in the upper right section of the web page is where you can sign in. Then click on the mail icon and get to the mail folder list.

[clay]

i'm thinking that it may even be IMAP capable--and that should mean that you don't need the aol application to access it.

I could be wrong, though. do some googling--I think you'll find an answer fairly quickly

[davester]

It's had a web interface for mail as long as I remember, and I've been using OS X Mail with it for a real long time. I didn't even know aol still had their own mail software. You can go to this aol page http://daol.aol.com/software/mac to download "AOL service assistant" to make it easy to set up imap, though I just did it manually using instructions found with google.

[Stephanie]

[quote clay]i'm thinking that it may even be IMAP capable--and that should mean that you don't need the aol application to access it.

I could be wrong, though. do some googling--I think you'll find an answer fairly quickly
Yes it is - see my post above.

[tuqqer]

Thanks, all. He's setting it up as IMAP in Mail. Very cool. No more AOL.

[ztirffritz]

Is AOL still in business?!? Why does anyone use them still? You can get your own domain name from GoDaddy for like $8, then have Google host your email for you. Then at least it is portable if Google ever starts screwing with you or charging money.

[Sam3]

People use AOL because they have had AOL for a long time and they don't want to change. Both my wife and my dad are happy with their AOL accounts, both primarily use the mail portion. Neither wants to change, for them AOL is fine. They also don't want to deal with the hassle of letting their friends know any new email addresses and don't want to migrate their emails and address books and other settings.

AOL is now free for broadband users, so that reason for change has disappeared.

[davester]

[quote ztirffritz]Is AOL still in business?!? Why does anyone use them still?
Several reasons:

1. It's free. AOL stopped charging for all services a year or two ago unless you buy dial-up or broadband from them.

2. Many folks like me got their aol address way back when aol was essentially the only game in town for macintosh. People I haven't heard from in years still occasionally get in touch with me through my original address. I would be loath to give up that address. All of the other email services weren't available back then.

3. It works perfectly with all email clients and I've never experienced a glitch or outage in over a decade. I certainly can't say that about my other email providers.

4. They've significantly improved their web services. They now have a nice integrated email/calendar/address book interface.

The question is, why are you so down on aol?