AOL Falls On The Sword to Save the Scabbard

In a climax worthy of a maudlin children’s novella, AOL reportedly intends to convert its walled garden of delights into a public park, a place where everyone, regardless of race, religion, class, creed or knowledge of the many-tubed internet can gather without fear of encountering anything interesting. In other, smaller, words, the entirety of AOL’s proprietary content will be ported to AOL.com to attract visitors and ad-revenue.

AOL will also stop marketing its subscription service. That means no more free hours cds clogging your arteries.

Since they’re not going to talk anyone into signing up, they’re also not going snooker you into staying, either. The NYT reports, “Under the plan being discussed, the company would cease having its employees try to “save” subscribers, by talking them into retaining their service.”

Rats, you may now freely move about the sinking ship.

“Earlier this year PC Magazine put AOL’s software at the top of its list of the 25 worst technology products of all time.”

Oh snap!

AOL Said to Be Planning Free Ad-Based Web Access” [NYT]

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