Plenty of websies copy each other's basic look. Hell, the AOL welcome screen looked like that anyway, just now it's in a webpage/single window instead of that stupid "Welcome" window.

Eh, ever since the whole "web 2.0" thing, all websites look the same anyway.

Thus marks the first and last time I will ever see AOL.com in this decade.

We're not talking basic look, though. That is a virtually identical reproduction, with only tiny graphic tweaks here and there. Hell, even the menu items are in nearly the same order.

Yahoo made some of their webapp code available for other developers:
http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/

AOL's ripping of the visual aspect of the design, however, is just shameless.

Unfortunately, that seems to fit with their history of buying/using someone else's design or program, hobbling it somehow (in this case, no narrow layout version), then slapping on heaps of AOL/Netscape branding, slow ads, and association with dubious software like RealNetworks programs and Weather Bug (check out the Netscape browser recently?).

I'm really disappointed to see that AOL has abandoned their stellar track record of tech innovation and groundbreaking new internet services.

:|

"Hell, even the menu items are in nearly the same order."

I didn't realize someone had patented alphabetical order?

@guroth: AOL should be forced to use reverse alphabetical order. Actually, let's just get rid of AOL.

something something imitation something flattery?

.....Their welcome screen has looked like that since at least version 4.0. Don't get rid of AOL. It would make me have to create another spambox!

@Zeke129: Doesn't AOL use their own alphabet anyway? They have a whole corporate language. It's something like "goowawe fdsa l fwjioreawewalf;j look we can give u teh internet pay us more money than other ISPs because our internet is better than theirs". Their target market is "stupid people who don't understand what the internet really is".

aol is looking like payless shoe stores now. Unless you wanna pick up 14 years old and be on Dateline.

@grant0: Yes, and their alphabet is not compatible with any other one and is full of ads.

AOL just keeps going lower down in my list.

@guroth: lol, I honestly didn't even notice that was the order. I take that back, but stand by the rest of my comment :)

Does anybody still use AOL??

AOLSUXLOL!!1!

/kthxbi

if aol was the only network provider, i wouldn't be on the net........
a.o.l. sucketh, along with best buys.........

Excuse me, but when is AOL NOT in beta?

Better yet, go back to Alpha, I'll understand the shittyness of your products.

I work in tech support for software products. We used to make a certain number of assumptions about a user's basic understanding of technical matters, ability to follow instructions, and likely intelligence just from his or her having an AOL email address.

Maybe this is a sign of an up-and-coming Yahoo/AOL merger?