AOL recommendations

Logged into aol to check my emails.  A chore that usually takes no more than five minutes, once a month.

The good thing about having aol as my main account?  Nothing.  If I hadn't signed a new contract a few months ago - I would certainly not be using them now.

The last time I had a choice, it was between aol and be. It would have been be for their speedier pipes, but aol gave me a reasonable offer. So i stuck with them, and have regretted it ever since.  A point i might have mentioned once or twice, in previous tappings.

So i was quite surprised to receive a mass email  offering £30 (or $52.5c and falling), if I would recommend a friend to use their services.  Nearly fell off my stool - really must get that leg fixed. 

Finally i came to my senses.  Realised I would rather recommend a friend buy a clapped out moss-grown citroen 2cv (yes even moss would get a speeding ticket faster than an old iconic 2cv) than go with aol.  If they were the last company on the planet offering broadband, i would recommend a friend go back to using dial-up.  Recommend aol?  Put me in front of a rampaging herd of bulls; let them put me out of my misery - quickly. 

Picture purloined for point proving, but from this wonderful site.

So what would i recommend aol for?

If you wish to enjoy a slow browsing experience, use aol's.  If you require (generally) unhelpful service, use aol.  If you want to engage technical support in linguistical riposte, to be told it's all your fault, then please do use aohell. 

I was always surprised time warner did the bed-hopping episode. But greed is a powerful stimuli.

With all these things, it's always your own personal experience.  A bit like the mint adverts (2004 was a better year).  In this case someone out there, is having all my service... 

Now, where did i put that friend?

Ofcom emergency

As of monday 8th September 2008, if you have an emergency (slightly burnt toast doesn't count as one), and sitting in front of a pc;  you should be able to use your voip provider - for most of us that'll be skype, to make that emergency call.  But it applies to other software voip's out there as well.

And about time to.

As Ofcom says...

'From 8 September revisions to General Condition 4 came into force. These revisions mean that VoIP providers who enable their users to make calls to the PSTN (i.e. make calls to telephone numbers) must provide the ability to make “999” and “112” emergency calls.'

Would still keep a mobile handy, next to the bed.  Just in case that raging fire takes down your phone line.

First play of chrome

The hours tick by as many people await the browser everyone is talking about. Google with another launch, wonder if it will have browser-beta somewhere? This is beginning to look like apple fanmania.

Reminds me of the hoop-la when gtalk arrived. Haven't seen any major im's falling by the wayside just yet.  The fact their non-related sibling (mozilla) wasn't told... well let's just see what happens, in just under three years time.

Currently using ff3 quite happily.  Followed by safari/opera then ie8 - just to test website compatibility - and viewable by the majority of browsers in use. Out there in the internet viewing world.

Its here!

And first looks are, not sure I like the colour. But that'll change. Tabs? Can go with those, on a 24" lcd it's quite spacious - looks less crammed.

And not a beta tag to be seen! Now this is different, time to tinker...

Easy installation, hasn't crashed yet... more play

For those who haven't tried it yet, it can be downloaded from here.