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Is AOL Finally Crashing and Burning?
An anonymous reader writes "AOL's disastrous quarterly report showed cash from continuing operations was down 44% from a year ago (adjusted operating income was down 37%), as it continues a rocky transition from monthly subscription fees to advertising. (Their quarterly report also notes 'the cessation of large-scale access subscriber acquisition campaigns' — investor-speak for the fact that AOL will finally stop mass mailings of free trial accounts.) Unfortunately, AOL's advertising business 'did even worse. Its revenues declined by $110 million... every single segment is down.' AOL has already lost 86% of the 30 million subscribers it reported in 2001 — down to just 4.3 million — but advertising hasn't yet filled the gap (possibly because many AOL ads had been displayed to the users AOL no longer has). But at least, as one technology blogger notes, AOL has finally released a mobile application, 'in the new definition of "late to the party."'"
Hopefully they will get some new management, either people or new ideas, in time to save the business.
Why? did you grow attached to them emotionally? did anyone?
I think the issue here is that AOL are essentially in the same market segment as ZOMBO.COM, which does everything AOL does, better.
"So what would you do if you were running AOL?"
It's too late. The relentless determination to suck despite years of criticism is irreversible.
The brand is tainted, sell it off.
"This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
With AOL dead, one of the primary causes of the Eternal September is over. (People won't be geting their Usenet through AOL anymore).
I used them as coasters. New ones came regularly in the mail. I always thought that AOL stood for American Organization of Lamers.
A friend on AOL... Sure.... Actually I have a friend I have been trying to get off of AOHell for years. All you can do is try to teach them about the "Real" internet and introduce them to Firefox or Chrome and whatever email program of they don't want to use web based email. Also remember to secure their computer real good because AOL has been doing the babysitting for them and they will be in the wild wild intertubes!
Me too!
;)
I kid, I kid.
--
"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, Tumblr and all the current web 2.5 (2.0 was years ago) will be replaced by the next "Big Thing", and AOL might come back as the you nostalgia you lose ISP. In 2020 you will see AOL CDs with new FirefAOL 7.0 with 1 Quadrillion free nanoseconds nanogigabit internet access for your MacOS Liger and Windows 9ista.
Also Linux will still have 0.8% market share.
Maybe they should go into chat rooms and ask for help...with the CAPS lock on, of course.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
just how funny a list of 101 uses for AOL disks really is.
http://www.joke-archives.com/aol/aoldisk.html
Damn shame, kids won't have anything to shove under the front legs of a pinball machine
Wherever You Go, There You Are
>> I used them as coasters.
Yeah, they fit perfectly in the cupholder on my machine.
I've heard there are some good tractor trailer training schools out there ...
The CEO will probably be paid a large bonus whether he drives the company out of existence...
If the CEO is able to drive AOL out of existence, he deserves to get paid a large bonus for such a tremendous public service.
Historically, cancelling AOL has often involved canceling your credit card...
Advertise on television that AOL is now web 2.0, more private than Facebook, and hiring bloggers.
Facebook has been web 2.0 for ages. AOL needs to go for at least web 2.5 if it wants to get ahead.