I HATE AOL. PLEASE get a new ISP.

[ExpAnonColin]

For the longest time, I haven't been able to mail anyone with AOL-I'd always get mailer-demon boucebacks, and they never had messages or explanations.  It only happened with AOL, no other ISPs, but it was frustrating as hell to get some sort of a proposition or discussion mail from someone and not be able to mail them back.  However, one I just got came back with the message:

The mail server you are using to send mail to AOL has been identified as a source of spam.  If you believe this message is in error, please have your mail administrator contact AOL at 888-212-5537.

WHAT THE @#$%.  Honestly, how the hell did they get that idea?  How corrupt can that system be that they block entire servers just because there was spam (even though there was never, ever spam from me, at all).  I call the number and get the response that there are no available lines, and I have to wait more than 10 minutes, and the line goes dead.

God damnit.  Please, people, get a new ISP, you can still use AIM, you don't need all those goddamn extra features, and there are many cheaper and faster ISPs out there.

:mad: :mad:

-Colin

[Bluesgeetar]

I hear ya bro!!!!!!!!!!  I ditched AOL long time ago and I have never looked back.  That ISP and their software @#$%ed with me 9 ways to Sunday.  Of course somebody will chime in soon saying, "I have used AOL for a long time and I have had no problems, I love AOL!"  

Well I can't stand AOL!!!!

[Brian Marshall]

aol sucks turkey balls in every way.

i tried it about 10 years ago.  

my parents had it for a while a couple years ago.

bloated software, poor connections, bad support.

[Peter Snowberg]

Please don't get me wrong as I HATE AOL without any doubt, but I don't get such messages. The problem is from somebody abusing your SMTP server. AOL has no choice when that happens. The problem is either with Charter or thehostingworks.com (not knowing which one you deliver your mail through). AOL might be receiving millions of spams from your SMTP server. What would you do if YOU were being pelted by millions of spams from one address? It's a no-brainer really.

I dumped AOL back when it was called "AppleLink Personal Edition" back in 1989. I thought they sucked back then too.  I will agree that any way you can quantify an ISP, there are better alternatives IMHO, but please keep reality in your perspective. In this case at least… AOL IS NOT the problem. Yelling does nothing and honestly I don’t want to listen to it if you’re going to blame the wrong business.

Thank you,
-Peter

*** PLEASE END THIS THREAD HERE, OR I WILL WHACK IT ***

[ExpAnonColin]

Hey peter,

I totally understand what you're talking about, and I'm sure that someone on the same server through the hosting works was abusing the SMTP server, but you have to realize that my frustration is not that-it's that AOL's spam-blocking system is absurd enough to prevent my from sending 200+ emails to AOL users over the last few months.

-Colin

[Peter Snowberg]

....but you have to realize that my frustration is not that-it's that AOL's spam-blocking system is absurd enough to prevent my from sending 200+ emails to AOL users over the last few months.

-Colin

You're not getting it.  :roll:

I don't have problems sending lots of e-mail to multiple AOL subscribers. I do it almost daily and have done so for many years. My total is in the thousands and I don't have problems.

If you have been flagged by an AOL subscriber as a spammer (as the message you posted stated that you have been), your account in particular will be blocked. If your SMTP host has been used to deliver spam, it will be blocked. Providers must protect themselves regardless of who they are. I've run two small service providers (as I.T. Director) and I know what it's like to watch my servers get clogged by abusers.

If this has been happening for months, you should have been able to deal with it by now. You could always open a hotmail or yahoo account to return e-mails and tell people that AOL says you're a spammer. You also have your Charter ISP account to send replies through. It's not like you don't have other options to get back to these people.

What's absurd is that you want to use this place to whine about AOL when as far as I can tell you don't even have a valid complaint. You should have been complaining TO THE HOSTING WORKS, ABOUT THE HOSTING WORKS.

People come here for effects.... not to listen to kids swear at service providers and their customers.

End of discussion.
-Peter