AOL for Linux is out!

[ewdi]

For those AOL users, now you can use Linux and still sticking to your AOL dial up.
If you are not using Linsipre, you can downlload the source and compile them.

Available free to all Linspire users, the AOL Dialer for Linux beta version installs with one click from the CNR Warehouse (www.linspire.com/AOLdialer). The software is being released as open source and code is available at www.linspire.com/dialersource. An AOL option will be added to existing ISP options for Earthlink, Juno, NetZero and Speakeasy in the next major release of Linspire slated to debut later this year. Screenshots of the AOL Dialer for Linux may be found at www.linspire.com/AOLdialer.

[foolish]

Good news.

How is this thing licensed? Is it open source? Can we redistribute it through fedora.us (or livna.org if there is legal ickyness)?

[ewdi]

yes, it's open source, you can download the source code here www.linspire.com/dialersource

[ilja]

but it seems not to be GPL, because there are no GPL-typical files and the sourcefiles don't have any GPL head.

[ewdi]

the license agreement on inspire site said it's under GPL

[Ug]

Oh dear god, AOL for Linux. *shudders*

[crackers]

Oh dear god, AOL for Linux. *shudders*
Be nice - I'm keeping my eye on this so I can get my mother off of the Other OS... :D

[obijuan]

I think AOL has quite extensive proprietary modem library bundled with their client. Will this help with Winmodem support? I'd buy AOL if I could get my modem to work on Linux.

I would. Oh yes, I would.

[Ug]

Be nice - I'm keeping my eye on this so I can get my mother off of the Other OS... :DI never figured what was so great about AOL anyway, all of the extra services they offer are available with all the big ISPs here in the UK.

Or is it just a US thing?

[imdeemvp]

its an american thing....America OnLine = AOL which i dropped long time ago....you have to use their authenthication software to get online and i disliked that so much!

i dont know about the Uk but here they charge $23.95 and if you add some extras you end up paying like around $36. that's more than dsl $26.95 :D

AOL is just a rip off if you ask me!

[superbnerd]

why would you use aol at all? honestly, I just don't understand it? please someone explain.

[imdeemvp]

i know i rather pay....what $5 for the cheapest dialup service..............could be candy look too ;)

[superbnerd]

if you want the aol look, make aol you home page
i'm convinced, aol is for mac users

[ilja]

why would you use aol at all? honestly, I just don't understand it? please someone explain.
if you come to a foreign country you can get an aol cd with 100 hours free access of the local aol-service, which exists in almost every country and don't have to pay for expensive roaming or make a contract with a local provider for just a few days/weeks.

[sayonara]

Be nice - I'm keeping my eye on this so I can get my mother off of the Other OS... :D

Hey crackers, any chance you could write a HOWTO for that?

[imdeemvp]

Hey crackers, any chance you could write a HOWTO for that?

no need for that there are a few here (http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialAOL.html) or this one (http://www.computing.net/linux/wwwboard/forum/25196.html) ....satisfied? have a snickers bars on me :D

[Ug]

if you come to a foreign country you can get an aol cd with 100 hours free access of the local aol-service, which exists in almost every country and don't have to pay for expensive roaming or make a contract with a local provider for just a few days/weeks.
AOL CDs quality coasters since 1997.

[Jman]

I'm wondering what AOL think of this. It helps them, so I don't see many reasons for them to object.

On a related note, if you get AOL disks and you already have enough coasters, send them in to http://nomoreaolcds.com/.

[Ug]

At high school we decorated walls with them. :p

[crackers]

I just reformatted them.

Crud - am I showing my age again? ;)

[Ug]

Yes, yes, you are.

[imdeemvp]

I just reformatted them.

Crud - am I showing my age again? ;)


some guy i used to know.....created a frame and used for a pic
:p

[muckraker]

I'm not understanding something here ... AOL is the online service of choice for folks who don't know the first thing about computers, right? (Like, as soon as a user finds out how that "service" rewrites Windows system files without the user's permission, he's usually pretty quick to find a real online service).

And Linux is an operating system that, well, for the most part you have to know a little SOMEthing about your computer, right?

Is anyone else seeing the conumdrum here besides me?

[ilja]

I'm not understanding something here ... AOL is the online service of choice for folks who don't know the first thing about computers, right? (Like, as soon as a user finds out how that "service" rewrites Windows system files without the user's permission, he's usually pretty quick to find a real online service).

And Linux is an operating system that, well, for the most part you have to know a little SOMEthing about your computer, right?

Is anyone else seeing the conumdrum here besides me?


there is nothing that makes you 1337. I know a lot of peoples here in Germany who use AOL, because for them it is the cheapest or the most comfortable method and they know a lot more about Linux than me and half of this board. And on the other side, you have my mother, who doesn't know about computers allmost nothing, but is Linux user, because on my computer there is only Linux.

[sailor]

I have been trying to pry my father away from AOL for years....maybe I could get him off windows if he had this...I have to say this so don't be flaming me "if someone is using AOL because they need the handholding it provides, they are NOT going to like linux"


AOL limits bandwith to its users during peak usage times and their billing practices are a bit questionable...you don't get what you pay for and you pay for what you don't get
I would strongly urge anyone to get a real ISP and learn how to configure there own email software etc...

[Quella]

I thought AOL was the Internet! :) Next someone will tell me that Santa Claus does not exist now! I may have to stop reading this fourm, I learn to much.

[Chas.H]

AOL CDs quality coasters since 1997.
I play disc golf. They make great marker disks... ;)

[Ug]

Another usage. :)

[Jman]

And Linux is an operating system that, well, for the most part you have to know a little SOMEthing about your computer, right?

Is anyone else seeing the conumdrum here besides me?
You have to know something about your computer to set up Windows too.

The goal here on whatever OS is to get the user online who only knows the vaguest bit about the computer. Like they know what a modem is and could maybe pick out their model from a list.

Note that this is just a dialer, lacking AOL's high-speed, easier than ever, insert-marketing-gimmick-here propietary software.

[friez]

i made a post about this awhile ago :(
http://fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21202 (http://)

[fengyandream]

how can i download fc3 tast3?:)

[ilja]

how can i download fc3 tast3?:)
sorry is your question not a bit offtopic? To answer your question: nowhere. The current testversion is fc3 test1. So you will have to wait a few months.

[GrigLars]

Easy. Access numbers.

AOL has access numbers everywhere. Remember, this is dialup, not broadband, so if you live in an area where the dialup is proprietary, no BB is available, this will give you another option.

Truthfully, though, IIRC, AOL uses a lot of proprietary dialup protocols, and I am not sure how a lot of Python scripts are going to emulate that. I am not sure if AOL knows about this (they will shortly, I assume, if they don't already), and if they do, I would think they'd go either of two ways:

1. They paid for the account, who cares how they connect
2. l00k owt!!1 oh noes, haxx0rz!

I might give it a spin tonight, and do a review.