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AOL to be Split into 4 Units

unsupported writes "AOL is apparently dividing into four units to provide a clear direction for each. The four divisions are as follows: Audience (Advertising, and AOL IM, Moviefon, Mapquest, Netscape.com), Access (dial-up, highspeed), AOL Europe (for the foreigners), and Digital Services (Premium services, phone and music subscription). "

30 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. And when the four parts come together by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They form the lamest robot in the entire universe... AOLtron!

  2. Oh Thank God by samurairas · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was so worried about their financial well being! I'm nearly out of coasters.

  3. Doh! by Zemplar · · Score: 5, Funny

    "AOL is apparently dividing into four units to provide a clear direction for each. The four divisions are as follows: Audience (Advertising, and AOL IM, Moviefon, Mapquest, Netscape.com), Access (dial-up, highspeed), AOL Europe (for the foreigners), and Digital Services (Premium services, phone and music subscription)."

    None of which will regain profitability.

    1. Re:Doh! by afree87 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, I can sure see America Online doing well in Europe.

    2. Re:Doh! by Zemplar · · Score: 5, Funny

      Perhaps they could change thier name to Anti-America Online to improve their European image?

    3. Re:Doh! by OrangeTide · · Score: 2, Funny

      If AOL wants to improve their European image maybe they should rebrand themselves as BLO, Bin Laden Online? Then it could be a real terrorist network!

      I wonder if the Terrorist Network is IPv6 compliant.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  4. 4 Units? by Thunderstruck · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this mean I can get four times as many drink-coasters every month? I just moved into a bigger place, so I need some.

    Seriously though, will this provide newfound independence for the Netscape folks, and newfound options for the browsers associated with them? Or will it just be a management shift that has no practical effect on the rest of the world?

    --
    Trying to use sarcasm in text-based forums does not work.
    1. Re:4 Units? by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

      No,each division sending you a CD each month would be just stupid now wouldn't it. Obviously each division will only send a 1/4 segment of a cd to you each month which you can glue toegther to form a coaster at your leisure.

      --
      Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
      What truth?
      There is no dupe
    2. Re:4 Units? by harrkev · · Score: 2, Funny

      Nope. Only one coaster each month. The company is being split up into four separate pieces:

      1) Coaster distribution - responsible for loading landfills with non-biodegradable chunks of worthless platic. Of course, a lot of these discs should be distributed with PC magazines, which are read by people who should already know better than to use AOL.

      2) Moron recruitment - Dedicated to finding the dumbest of the dumb and encouraging them to POST IN ALL CAPS on every forum imaginable. They also believe that they can enlarge their m3mb3r easily for only $19.95

      3) Customer Leaking - Maintains all customer data on Windows 95 machines without a firewall. This benefits the consumer because they do not have to type in their credit card number -- it is already all over the web!

      4) Browser development - This company will spend a lot of money developing browsers which AOL will never even use.

      It makes perfect sense to me!

      --
      "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
  5. You forgot the 5th Unit by EnronHaliburton2004 · · Score: 1, Funny

    You forgot the 5th unit, which is more important then the rest.

    It's the "Me too!" unit.

    -= Stefan

  6. Advertising? by suso · · Score: 4, Funny

    The last thing AOL needs is a focused advertising unit.

  7. This story put some strange pictures in my head... by rubberbando · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm suddenly imagining their little yellow logo guy being drawn and quartered....not pretty.. :-P

    --
    DEAD DEAD DEAD DELETE ME
  8. Secret Weapon: discs by Man+in+Spandex · · Score: 5, Funny

    and its secret weapon is repeatedly firing fast rotating 30-day trial discs. OH THE HORROR!

    1. Re:Secret Weapon: discs by adam+mcmaster · · Score: 3, Funny

      I think you misspelled "coasters"

    2. Re:Secret Weapon: discs by Guppy06 · · Score: 5, Funny

      "firing fast rotating 30-day trial discs."

      As opposed to firing employees?

  9. Horsemen of the Apocalypse? by mikeophile · · Score: 4, Funny

    My first thought at seeing the headline.

  10. what, no CD Press department? by Val314 · · Score: 5, Funny

    i thought printing & shipping CDs was their main task

  11. The 5th Unit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Leelo Time-Warner Multipass!

  12. Re:Next up? by Sibshops · · Score: 3, Funny

    Microsoft tried a related split up. However, they couldn't find a way seperate the Internet Explorer from Windows.

    __
    This was a lame attempt to be funny.

  13. Article is incorrect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The 4 units will be named:
    - Overcharging
    - Limiting/Reducing Quality of Service
    - Cancellation Deflection/Avoidance
    - Demo CD Manufacturing and Distribution

    Not to worry, they will all be guided by AOL's core mission: TO SUCK!

  14. Re:Quick Question... by stienman · · Score: 4, Funny

    AOL probably already operated this way anyway, so what's the big whoop?

    The biggest difference is that all the old infighting and contempt is offical, and can be reported on and monitered since it must cross interdepartmental divisions. Previously it was hard to track since it was intradepartemental.

    Wars and power struggles are much more open. Further, it provides a new battlefield - all the commanders welcome this change since the wars were getting rather stale and predictable. Hopefully the new revolution will be streamed.

    -Adam

  15. I care by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 4, Funny

    You didn't care enough to RTFA, but you cared enough to post telling us how much you don't care. Thus showing us how much you do care. You care enough to not care, but are very passionate about your not caring. You want us to care that you don't care. Or perhaps you want us to care how much you care that you don't care? Well, buddy, I just wanted you to know that I care about wheather you wanted us to care about you not caring or wanted us to care about you caring about not caring. And I hope that everyone else cares about me caring about you either wanting us to care about you not caring or wanting us to care about you caring about you not caring. Just thought I'd write this to let you all know I care.

    --
    Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
  16. Justice At Last? by Gallenod · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently prayer does work, as AOL has finally drawn and quartered itself.

    Eventually, it will reduce itself to 64 small startup sized companies, 63 of which will fail. Just what I've always wanted to see: a living example of the DotCom bubble in reverse.

    What's next? Maybe Microsoft will join them in self-dismemberment?

    (Pray early, pray often...)

    --

    TLR

    A man no more knows his destiny than a tea leaf knows the history of the East India Company
  17. Great, 4 more Cd's a day by VonGuard · · Score: 2, Funny

    As if I wasn't getting enough free CD's in my mailbox, now I'll get four a day instead of simply 1.

    Now That's progress.

    --
    Don't Crease the Weasel!
  18. AOL Europe? by jxyama · · Score: 2, Funny
    now that it stands on its own, it sounds even more contradictory :

    America Online Europe

    (i know, i know, no one in Europe really needs to know what "A" in "AOL" stands for...)

  19. Unit Renamed by PMuse · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bulletin: On instructions from the US Dept of Homeland Security, AOL has agreed to rename its AOL Europe unit. In accordance with Bush Administration Policy, the unit will now be known as EOL (for the foreigners).

    See you on the game grid,
    MCP

    --
    "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
  20. Business school lesson by BattleTroll · · Score: 3, Funny

    A newly appointed CEO has a conversation with the man he is replacing. The new guy asks, "what advice can you give me?". The old dog opens up a drawer and pulls out three envelopes.

    "When you get into trouble the first time, open up letter number one and do what it tells you. When it happens again, use letter number two. And when it happens the third time, read letter number three."

    With that, the old dog laughs and walks out the building.

    A month later the new CEO is on the hotseat for missing the quarterly EPS mark. Right before the earnings conference call he reads letter number one - 'Blame me'. So the new CEO goes to the mike, blames the old CEO for bad management, and everyone walks away optimistic.

    Three months later, the new CEO is on the hotseat again. He reads letter number two - 'Reorganize' So the new CEO tells everyone that the company is going to do a massive reorganization "to realign our business units with our core market paradigms.". The reporters grumble but accept the idea that the company is now on the right track.

    Three months later, the new CEO is yet again facing major difficulties. He reads the last letter. 'Get three envelopes.'

    *buhbumpbump*

  21. Where's Group 5? by mfifer · · Score: 2, Funny

    n00Bs?

    Oh wait. Never mind...

  22. Re:"AOL Europe (for the foreigners)" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    In our defense, some of us are partially educated.

  23. Re:Your sig by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 1, Funny

    You're still wrong.

    Everyone: Fucking up everything until there is no tomorrow.

    --
    <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>