Here is the comment I left at Scalzi's. He is inviting everyone who has an opinion about the new ad banners to vent their spleens.
Chalk one more in the column of "hate the ad banners." This is just AOL reminding us, as they feel compelled to do from time to time, that our journals are NOT ours, that they can and will do anything they want with them, and we have absolutely no recourse, except to leave AOL. And so, many of us shall.
I have been an AOL customer since 1997. My husband has been bugging me for years to change ISP's, mostly because AOL is the most expensive service out there. But I have insisted we not drop AOL...$300 a year for the privelege of belonging to and writing for the journal community has been worth it for me. The addition of these hideous and unwanted ad banners has greatly devalued the service. In fact, I don't see why I should pay that kind of money to help line the pockets of AOL advertisers. Wouldn't it be more traditional for THEM to pay US?
Not to mention the fact that this little "upgrade" had completely screwed up the technical aspect of journal land. Maybe we would not be QUITE as angry about the ads if we were not locked out of our journals, unable to post, unable to comment, unable to properly copy and paste out of our word processing programs. Let's face it, AOL. You monumentally screwed up on this one. Lisa :-[ http://journals.aol.com/mlraminiak/ComingtotermswithMiddleAge/
Mine was the 86th comment on the thread, though some people have commented and re-commented several times. Please, everyone, go... http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/5067 Leave a comment. Let's see that count go up into the multiple hundreds. I can't see AOL paying any attention to less than a hundred mal-contents. There have GOT to be more of us out there who think these ad banners are a BAD THING. Let's show them our numbers.
I've commented there and at Magic Smoke. I've also emailed to the journalchanges@aol.com addresss that Joe posted. We're soon going to find out just how much AOL values their customers.
ReplyDeleteLisa I was thinking today about what you could advertize her in your journal and I finally have it....
ReplyDeleteBumper sticker glue.
To cover up all the right wing bumper stickers....
Are you gonna move???
I'm on my way. Thanx for the link!
ReplyDeleteMaryanne
Ooooh, I like the idea of the bumper sticker glue. LOL
ReplyDeleteJackie
Ooooh, I like the idea of the bumper sticker glue. LOL
ReplyDeleteJackie
I dont really care about the ads, but if I try to post and cant' I'll have a fit
ReplyDeletemarti
Rediculous of them!!
ReplyDeleteV
You know my thoughts on AOL Lisa. They haven't placed ads on the UK journals yet but it's only a matter of time. If you do go elsewhere, let me know.
ReplyDeleteAnnie :-)
Well said. I said the same thing but probably not as eloquently. I also emailed AOL using the addy: Journal Changes. I have been using VERIZON DSL for four years. Paying AOL like you for the journal usage. Unless the banners I removed I plan to cancel my AOL in about ten days. I am already mass mailing my favorites over to Verizon and have created a new journal on Blog Spot where many other journalers have gone. Drop by and check it out.
ReplyDeleteYour present is on its way..................
ReplyDeleteI left my two cents (under Turk's screen name...oops!) as follows. I was #162. Thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteHere's how I see it.
I rent an apartment from you. You are my landlord. In exchange for money ~ above market rates, by the way, since you insist that this is a luxury apartment with many fine extras ~ you give me personal space and a place to hang my hat.
I am popular, and you notice quite a bit of traffic in and out of my apartment. One day, I return home to find that billboards have been erected on all my walls. Big, ugly billboards. My space, for which I have been paying handsomely, is no longer my own.
It seems that you, my landlord, own many other buildings and have been allowing people to live there rent-free, and have decided that I, your paying tenant, have to pick up the slack for this loss of income.
My question to you is, would I continue to live in this apartment, when there are many other available apartments in town ~ cheaper, and billboard-free? Would you?
It's not too late for AOL to reconsider this unfortunate practice.