Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!ginosko!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!gryphon!pnet02!lbotez
From: lbotez@pnet02.gryphon.com (Lynda Botez)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: AppleLink/America.On.Line
Message-ID: <20433@gryphon.COM>
Date: 30 Sep 89 23:20:37 GMT
Sender: news@gryphon.COM
Organization: People-Net [pnet02], Redondo Beach, CA.
Lines: 33

America on Line is really a good bargain if you're a national on-line junkie.
While I still hate the way you have to read the messages, they have made some
vast improvements to the software (which should be coming your way soon... I
saw a beta version of it at the Apple booth at the 'Fest).  At least you can
save what you read now (but setting it up at the beginning of your sesion...
it all saves to a disk).

The best thing about America on Line is that you can call at 2400 baud. 
Downloading at 1200 is undescribly slow (especially if you have 9600 like I
do).  Horrible.  So with America on Line, you get 2400 for the same price.

Prodigy (for the person who asked) is another one of these national online
services, implimented by IBM and Sears.  It's only $9.95 a month for unlimited
usage for up to six family members (plus you have to purchase the software and
a modem).  The services it provides resemble mostly what you see on any of the
other services (like Genie, Compuserve, etc.), but there is no chat, file
exchange or game playing.  The most attract feature is probably its on-line
shopping; where the user is constantly bombarded with advertising that runs
continuously across the screen.  Recently Prodigy has developed a Macintosh
version of the software, so all you Macaphiles can now partake in the joys of
this new service.  Kits for the IBM version are currently available at Sears
and Radio Shack; if you act fast I think you can still beta-test the Mac
version for free.

I still prefer the Usenet though (the price is right...  free).

Lynda

Bill Mensch from Western Design is putting in an appearance on America on Line
on October 9th.  Should be QUITE interesting.

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