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Re: [LUG] Broadband With Linux

 

On Sunday 22 Jan 2006 13:11, Ben Goodger wrote:
> On 22/01/06, Neil Stone <neil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Rob Beard wrote:
> > > Ben Goodger wrote:
> > >>     Easiest way by far, Router with built in DHCP server..
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>     Configure once, additional nodes will auto configure... you'll
> >
> > never
> >
> > >>     need to remember any more settings..
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Just don't try it with AOL. And don't ask me about my experience with
> > >> it...
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Ben Goodger
> > >> #391382
> > >
> > > Nothing wrong with AOL, they just don't support routers.  I'm running a
> > > SpeedTouch 510v4 router with AOL.  The trick is to enter the username
> > > as screenname@xxxxxxx rather than just the screenname part.  Works a
> > > treat after that.
> > >
> > > Rob
> >
> > That and the fact that only the 1st 8 chars of a passwd matter, put any
> > more in and it fails to authenticate..
>
> And their weird MTU, lack of support for IPv6, Irish callcentres, "Live
> Help" people whose job description is to copy and paste prewritten HOWTOs,
> and the fact that I can't get their service to work in any Linux distro,
> even with a supported router...
>
> Plus their cancelling system is a load of crap.
>
> --
> Ben Goodger
> #391382

The call centres are now located in India. The old ones - based in Ireland 
( where the COS office was incidentally) was closed I believe as call 
centres. They also now charge for support calls - was free till a few months 
ago

The biggest issue with AOL is their total lack of support or interest in 
Linux.
There *are* Linux users using AOL - even some of the staff in the London HQ 
use Linux at home.
Several people pressed AOL for Linux support for years - myself included. I 
even offered help to code and test a client for Linux ( not coder myself, but 
I did have a few people who offered to help out). I sent them links and 
information about projects and spin offs from those which AOL had begun then 
abandoned.
These projects - mostly based on something called the Gamera project - still 
exist in various forms if you know where to look and what to look for.
For instance, there is a project - hidden away out on the web - called openAOL 
I think ( but I can supply details if anyone is interested) - which was based 
on Gamera. It was designed for embedding into these touch screen monitors you 
find in public locations. It does actually work - but sadly, its hard coded 
to one specific USA number - and fails to work in the UK.
There are several others - I have all the info somewhere.
For dial up, there is of course the Peng or Penggy project. That works for 
dial up - as long as you have no desire to use the dreadful AOL interface and 
have a standard account.
I was involved with lots of work on Wine with AOL - and found older versions 
of AOL - e.g up to around AOL6 - will work under Wine, although they tend to 
be a bit slow. There were some tweaks and tuning done by some people and I 
believe the tweaks improved things somewhat.
Most AOL users tend to simply set up a PC with windows and then use that as a 
gateway. Works fine.

Mark
 

 


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