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AOL to Launch Discount "Netscape" Internet Service
BigJimSlade writes "AOL is planning to launch a discounted internet service. The service will have less of the 'extras' that AOL users are used to, but will only cost $9.95 a month. In a move to cash-in on name recognition, AOL will be naming this service 'Netscape'."
Busy signals? No problem, I'm not alone, there are 10 Million other people also waiting to log on.
Ma & Pa Kettle don't need 150Kb+ incoming for their P2P apps. They want to log in to the InterWeb and check their email for pics of their grandkids. If this doesn't get them loads of new users I'll be very suprised.
Trolling is a art,
Great, now we'll have even more clueless people who want to "Get on Netscape" while referring to connecting to the internet.
-Splat
More like confuse the hell out of the average person...
Customer Support: Our web site supports IE4+ and Netscape 6+
Customer: You need a specific ISP?
Customer Support: Huh?
They have taken away internet access and they just show you all the AOL advertising
I'm wondering if the browser includedd in the "Netscape" client software will be "Internet Explorer." That would be a tragedy.
Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
This sounds like a smart move, to segment their markets, and thereby avoid losing business to some of the low-priced alternatives. Assuming they don't cannibalize their higher margin customers, it should be a net positive.
I think AOL might want to come out with a version that boots directly from a CD, and doesn't rely on Windows, etc. This would be a nice turnkey system for those who are not very familiar with PCs. Using technology from Knoppix, I bet they could squeeze in everything into a bootable CD.
> If...the "Netscape" client software will be "Internet Explorer." That would be a tragedy.
No, that would be irony.
I can't believe you americans still put up with shit like this. Here in Sweden, it has been possible for ages to get dial-up Internet from our largest ISP for only slightly more than $3/month - and that includes five POP3 accounts (with optional webmail access), 50 megs of webspace (accessible via FTP) and free telephone support.
:)
A dial-up without the extra features (just the web, baby) costs nothing per month, and per-minute charges are less than $2 per hour during peak hours (less than $1 off-peak).
Most importantly, we don't have any ISP's that require their customers to run special bugware (read "AOL Software" - and I'm blatantly assuming here that it's a required install, feel free to correct me). You lot obviously need to let your ISP's know what exactly constitutes acceptable pricing for stuff like "simple" Internet access
Quality, performance, value; you get only two, and you don't always get to pick.
please AOL, stop this....just let netscape die so we can remember it as a good company who helped start the internet revolution.
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
What I want to know is, will they ship the Netscape 7 browser to subscribers, ship a Netscape-branded hack of Internet Explorer with the home page set to netscape.com, or provide no extra software at all?
This could be a nightmare for tech support. You have no idea how many times I've had people tell me their web browser or Internet Service Provider was Yahoo, because that's what their home page was set to.
$x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
$x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
There won't be client software the same way there is with AOL. There will be a very small piece of software and it will use the user's current browser.
This is desperate ploy to bring back some of the luster to the DOA dial-up service they have been slowly burying for some time. Parsons should just fess up and admit he wants to run a media business without the distraction of an ultra-low-maring connectivity dinosaur. This would in effect completely undo the TW/AOL merger - a move most shareholders would welcome, now that it is understood and accepted that all the merger did was vaporize shareholder wealth.
Yes, there are plenty of people who have low demands for connectivity, but very very few new customers in this market. All of these people already have dialup. Their next move will be to broadband..yes, even ma and pa Kettle.
It isn't specific what the trademarks were. But given the launch of this service, I'm guessing it included "Mozilla" related trademarks but not "Netscape" related trademarks. Details here.
I think they might have been testing this for some time now. The $9.95 unlimited Internet access from Walmart looks and sounds eerily similar to AOL (similar packaging and marketing). I thought AOL *couldn't* be selling Walmart access for so much cheaper than they are offering it to their own customers, but it looks like that is in fact what they were doing.
If they include Netscape 7 as the default browser, maybe Mom and Pop will get used to tabs (if they realize they exist), and actually realize how backward IE is becoming...
philcrissman.com.
The second ring of Cluebie Hell is AOL. Pretty much the same demographic that made FOX the network it is today. 'Nuff said. Some of them atoned for their sins and moved to CompuServe.
The third ring was were the truly damned were kept. It was called Prodigy. Words can not describe this horrific place, you had to experience it for yourself. Fortunately Prodigy has departed this world as have all of its users. You see, a secret government program was started when it was found that we could raise the collective IQ of the entire race by 10 points by eliminating the Prodigy users. They were all quietly taken out and shot and the service was closed down. Know any ex-Prodigy users? No? That's not a coincidence.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Irony = self-contradictory or unexpected. Thus a "Netscape" service running Internet Explorer would be ironic.
Lalala
But based on "the Netscape service would be a smaller download" I have to assume that it would be a Netscape-branded Internet Explorer that users would use. Just imagine... "Internet Explorer powered by Netscape" as the IE window title...
This is going to cause so many support headaches, no matter what they do. I really hope they name it something distinct, but I bet you the real thought was to tie it into Netscape the portal and not Netscape the browser.
This is almost causing headaches without thinking about it... "What browser do you use?" "Netscape." "Is that the browser Netscape, the Netscape homepage, or the Netscape service?" I really hope they change the name... so confusing...
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
1. AOL is removing the biggest star on the net right now. Instant Messaging.
2. It will most likely use a version of IE, which people will call netscape, adding to the confusion (Mozilla is Netscape, IE is Netscape, Netscape is Netscape?)
3. Yet another stab at kiling innovation. At least AOL was playing with new features for the masses (IM, etc). Now it will be making a generic IE browser the popular tool.
Ugh.
The UK had a Netscape-branded ISP years ago - its portal is still, surprisingly, available and I even have the Netscape Online ISP CD I picked up from a branch of Woolworth (probably the only ISP CD at that time that came with Netscape [4.X] instead of IE !). I have no idea if you can still sign up for Netscape Online in the UK - anyone got any ideas (the portal gives no clue)? I reckon you'll just sign up with AOL if you tried that old CD now :-)