<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
brand	O
marketed	O
by	O
the	O
current	O
incarnation	O
of	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
client	O
was	O
launched	O
in	O
1988	O
,	O
and	O
eventually	O
renamed	O
as	O
America	O
Online	O
in	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
originally	O
provided	O
a	O
dial-up	O
service	O
to	O
millions	O
of	O
Americans	O
,	O
pioneered	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
,	O
and	O
in	O
1993	O
began	O
adding	O
internet	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1998	O
,	O
AOL	O
purchased	O
Netscape	B-Protocol
for	O
US	O
$4.2	O
billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
rapidly	O
shrank	O
thereafter	O
,	O
partly	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
decline	O
of	O
dial-up	O
and	O
rise	O
of	O
broadband	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
23	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
AOL	O
was	O
acquired	O
by	O
Verizon	B-Application
Communications	O
for	O
$4.4	O
billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
3	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
announced	O
it	O
would	O
sell	O
Yahoo	B-Application
and	O
AOL	O
to	O
private	O
equity	O
firm	O
Apollo	O
Global	O
Management	O
for	O
$5	O
billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
1	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
AOL	O
became	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Its	O
sole	O
product	O
was	O
an	O
online	O
service	O
called	O
GameLine	B-Application
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
2600	I-General_Concept
video	O
game	O
console	O
,	O
after	O
von	O
Meister	O
's	O
idea	O
of	O
buying	O
music	O
on	O
demand	O
was	O
rejected	O
by	O
Warner	O
Bros	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subscribers	O
bought	O
a	O
modem	B-Application
from	O
the	O
company	O
for	O
$49.95	O
and	O
paid	O
a	O
one-time	O
$15	O
setup	O
fee	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameLine	B-Application
permitted	O
subscribers	O
to	O
temporarily	O
download	O
games	O
and	O
keep	O
track	O
of	O
high	O
scores	O
,	O
at	O
a	O
cost	O
of	O
$1	O
per	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
telephone	O
disconnected	O
and	O
the	O
downloaded	O
game	O
would	O
remain	O
in	O
GameLine	B-Application
's	O
Master	O
Module	O
and	O
playable	O
until	O
the	O
user	O
turned	O
off	O
the	O
console	O
or	O
downloaded	O
another	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kimsey	O
changed	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
strategy	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
1985	O
,	O
launched	O
a	O
dedicated	O
online	O
service	O
for	O
Commodore	O
64	O
and	O
128	B-Device
computers	O
,	O
originally	O
called	O
Quantum	O
Link	O
(	O
"	O
Q-Link	O
"	O
for	O
short	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
service	O
was	O
different	O
from	O
other	O
online	O
services	O
as	O
it	O
used	O
the	O
computing	O
power	O
of	O
the	O
Commodore	O
64	O
and	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
rather	O
than	O
just	O
a	O
"	O
dumb	O
"	O
terminal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
1988	O
,	O
Quantum	O
and	O
Apple	O
launched	O
AppleLink	O
Personal	O
Edition	O
for	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
and	O
Macintosh	B-Device
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
1988	O
,	O
Quantum	O
launched	O
PC	O
Link	O
,	O
a	O
service	O
for	O
IBM-compatible	O
PCs	B-Device
developed	O
in	O
a	O
joint	O
venture	O
with	O
the	O
Tandy	O
Corporation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
beginning	O
,	O
AOL	O
included	O
online	B-Application
games	I-Application
in	O
its	O
mix	O
of	O
products	O
;	O
many	O
classic	O
and	O
casual	O
games	O
were	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
PlayNet	O
software	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Graphical	O
chat	O
environments	O
Habitat	B-Application
(	O
1986	O
–	O
1988	O
)	O
from	O
LucasArts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
1991	O
,	O
AOL	O
for	O
DOS	B-Device
was	O
launched	O
using	O
a	O
GeoWorks	B-Application
interface	O
followed	O
a	O
year	O
later	O
by	O
AOL	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
coincided	O
with	O
growth	O
in	O
pay-based	O
online	O
services	O
,	O
like	O
Prodigy	O
,	O
CompuServe	O
,	O
and	O
GEnie	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
1991	O
also	O
saw	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
an	O
original	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
title	O
called	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
from	O
Stormfront	O
Studios	O
;	O
which	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Multiplayer	O
Online	O
Role	O
Playing	O
Games	O
to	O
depict	O
the	O
adventure	O
with	O
graphics	O
instead	O
of	O
text	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Advertisements	O
invited	O
modem	B-Application
owners	O
to	O
"	O
Try	O
America	O
Online	O
FREE	O
"	O
,	O
promising	O
free	O
software	O
and	O
trial	O
membership	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
1993	O
,	O
AOL	O
added	O
Usenet	B-Application
access	O
to	O
its	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
commonly	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Eternal	B-Application
September	I-Application
"	O
,	O
as	O
Usenet	B-Application
's	O
cycle	O
of	O
new	O
users	O
was	O
previously	O
dominated	O
by	O
smaller	O
numbers	O
of	O
college	O
and	O
university	O
freshmen	O
gaining	O
access	O
in	O
September	O
and	O
taking	O
a	O
few	O
weeks	O
to	O
acclimate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
one	O
point	O
,	O
50%	O
of	O
the	O
CDs	B-Device
produced	O
worldwide	O
had	O
an	O
AOL	O
logo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
quickly	O
surpassed	O
GEnie	B-Language
,	O
and	O
by	O
the	O
mid-1990s	O
,	O
it	O
passed	O
Prodigy	O
(	O
which	O
for	O
several	O
years	O
allowed	O
AOL	O
advertising	O
)	O
and	O
CompuServe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
1994	O
,	O
AOL	O
purchased	O
Booklink	O
for	O
its	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
,	O
to	O
give	O
its	O
users	O
web	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1996	O
,	O
AOL	O
replaced	O
Booklink	O
with	O
a	O
browser	B-Application
based	O
on	O
Internet	O
Explorer	O
,	O
allegedly	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
inclusion	O
of	O
AOL	O
in	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
launched	O
services	O
with	O
the	O
National	O
Education	O
Association	O
,	O
the	O
American	O
Federation	O
of	O
Teachers	O
,	O
National	O
Geographic	O
,	O
the	O
Smithsonian	O
Institution	O
,	O
the	O
Library	O
of	O
Congress	O
,	O
Pearson	O
,	O
Scholastic	O
,	O
ASCD	O
,	O
NSBA	O
,	O
NCTE	O
,	O
Discovery	O
Networks	O
,	O
Turner	O
Education	O
Services	O
(	O
CNN	B-Architecture
Newsroom	O
)	O
,	O
NPR	O
,	O
The	O
Princeton	O
Review	O
,	O
Stanley	O
Kaplan	O
,	O
Barron	O
's	O
,	O
Highlights	O
for	O
Kids	O
,	O
the	O
U.S.	O
Department	O
of	O
Education	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
other	O
education	O
providers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
purchased	O
search	O
engine	O
WebCrawler	B-Application
in	O
1995	O
,	O
but	O
sold	O
it	O
to	O
Excite	B-Application
the	O
following	O
year	O
;	O
the	O
deal	O
made	O
Excite	B-Application
the	O
sole	O
search	O
and	O
directory	O
service	O
on	O
AOL	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
deal	O
closed	O
in	O
March	O
1997	O
,	O
AOL	O
launched	O
its	O
own	O
branded	O
search	O
engine	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
Excite	B-Application
,	O
called	O
NetFind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
renamed	O
to	O
AOL	B-Application
Search	I-Application
in	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
five-year	O
landmark	O
agreement	O
with	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
operating	O
system	O
,	O
AOL	O
was	O
bundled	O
with	O
Windows	B-Application
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
1998	O
,	O
AOL	O
announced	O
it	O
would	O
acquire	O
Netscape	B-Protocol
,	O
best	O
known	O
for	O
their	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
,	O
in	O
a	O
major	O
$4.2	O
billion	O
deal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2000	O
,	O
as	O
new	O
broadband	B-General_Concept
technologies	O
were	O
being	O
rolled	O
out	O
around	O
the	O
New	O
York	O
City	O
metropolitan	O
area	O
and	O
elsewhere	O
across	O
the	O
U.S.	O
,	O
AOL	O
and	O
Time	O
Warner	O
announced	O
plans	O
to	O
merge	O
,	O
forming	O
AOL	O
Time	O
Warner	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
2005	O
,	O
AOL	O
released	O
AOL	O
Safety	O
&	O
Security	O
Center	O
,	O
a	O
bundle	O
of	O
McAfee	B-Operating_System
Antivirus	I-Operating_System
,	O
CA	O
anti-spyware	O
,	O
and	O
proprietary	B-Application
firewall	B-Application
and	O
phishing	O
protection	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
News	O
reports	O
in	O
late	O
2005	O
identified	O
companies	O
such	O
as	O
Yahoo	O
!,	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
and	O
Google	B-Application
as	O
candidates	O
for	O
turning	O
AOL	O
into	O
a	O
joint	O
venture	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Those	O
plans	O
were	O
abandoned	O
when	O
it	O
was	O
revealed	O
on	O
December	O
20	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
that	O
Google	B-Application
would	O
purchase	O
a	O
5%	O
share	O
of	O
AOL	O
for	O
$1billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
8	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
AOL	O
offered	O
a	O
new	O
program	O
called	O
AOL	O
Active	O
Security	O
Monitor	O
,	O
a	O
diagnostic	O
tool	O
to	O
monitor	O
and	O
rate	O
PC	O
security	O
status	O
,	O
and	O
recommended	O
additional	O
security	O
software	O
from	O
AOL	O
or	O
Download.com	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
months	O
later	O
,	O
AOL	O
released	O
AOL	B-Application
Active	I-Application
Virus	I-Application
Shield	I-Application
,	O
a	O
free	O
product	O
developed	O
by	O
Kaspersky	O
Lab	O
,	O
that	O
did	O
not	O
require	O
an	O
AOL	O
account	O
,	O
only	O
an	O
internet	O
email	O
address	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
move	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
reduce	O
costs	O
associated	O
with	O
the	O
"	O
walled	B-Application
garden	I-Application
"	O
business	O
model	O
by	O
reducing	O
usage	O
of	O
AOL-owned	O
access	O
points	O
and	O
shifting	O
members	O
with	O
high-speed	O
internet	O
access	O
from	O
client-based	O
usage	O
to	O
the	O
more	O
lucrative	O
advertising	O
provider	O
AOL.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
change	O
from	O
paid	O
to	O
free	O
access	O
was	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
slow	O
the	O
rate	O
at	O
which	O
members	O
canceled	O
their	O
accounts	O
and	O
defected	O
to	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Hotmail	I-Operating_System
,	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
Local	O
,	O
comprising	O
its	O
CityGuide	O
,	O
Yellow	B-Operating_System
Pages	I-Operating_System
and	O
Local	O
Search	O
services	O
to	O
help	O
users	O
find	O
local	O
information	O
like	O
restaurants	O
,	O
local	O
events	O
,	O
and	O
directory	O
listings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
email	O
accounts	O
could	O
be	O
accessed	O
in	O
a	O
manner	O
similar	O
to	O
those	O
of	O
other	O
AOL	O
and	O
AIM	B-Protocol
email	O
accounts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
offered	O
a	O
free	O
5	O
GB	O
account	O
(	O
free	O
online	B-Application
file	I-Application
storage	I-Application
)	O
to	O
anyone	O
with	O
an	O
AOL	O
screenname	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
increase	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
migrate	O
the	O
service	O
's	O
remaining	O
dial-up	O
users	O
to	O
broadband	B-General_Concept
,	O
as	O
the	O
increased	O
price	O
was	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
that	O
of	O
its	O
monthly	O
DSL	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
management	O
stressed	O
that	O
"	O
significant	O
operations	O
"	O
would	O
remain	O
in	O
Dulles	O
,	O
which	O
included	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
access	O
services	O
and	O
modem	B-Application
banks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
November	O
2007	O
,	O
AOL	O
's	O
customer	O
base	O
had	O
been	O
reduced	O
to	O
10.1million	O
subscribers	O
,	O
slightly	O
more	O
than	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
subscribers	O
of	O
Comcast	O
and	O
AT&T	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
31	O
,	O
AOL	B-Application
Hometown	I-Application
(	O
a	O
web-hosting	O
service	O
for	O
the	O
websites	O
of	O
AOL	O
customers	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
AOL	O
Journal	O
blog	O
hosting	O
service	O
were	O
eliminated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
12	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
Tim	O
Armstrong	O
,	O
formerly	O
with	O
Google	B-Application
,	O
was	O
named	O
chairman	O
and	O
CEO	O
of	O
AOL	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
28	O
,	O
Time	O
Warner	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
position	O
AOL	O
as	O
an	O
independent	O
company	O
after	O
Google	B-Application
's	I-Application
shares	O
ceased	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
fiscal	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
November	O
23	O
,	O
AOL	O
unveiled	O
a	O
new	O
brand	O
identity	O
with	O
the	O
wordmark	B-Device
"	O
Aol.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
December	O
,	O
AIM	B-Protocol
eliminated	O
access	O
to	O
AOL	B-Protocol
chat	I-Protocol
rooms	O
,	O
noting	O
a	O
marked	O
decline	O
in	O
usage	O
in	O
recent	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
14	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
AOL	O
formed	O
a	O
strategic	O
ad-selling	O
partnership	O
with	O
two	O
of	O
its	O
largest	O
competitors	O
,	O
Yahoo	B-Application
and	O
Microsoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
strategy	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
help	O
the	O
companies	O
compete	O
with	O
Google	B-Application
and	O
advertising	O
networks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
announcement	O
came	O
just	O
days	O
before	O
the	O
Digital	O
Content	O
NewFront	O
(	O
DCNF	O
)	O
a	O
two-week	O
event	O
held	O
by	O
AOL	O
,	O
Google	B-Application
,	O
Hulu	B-Application
,	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
Vevo	O
and	O
Yahoo	B-Application
to	O
showcase	O
the	O
participating	O
sites	O
 '	O
digital	O
video	O
offerings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2014	O
,	O
AOL	O
controlled	O
0.74	O
%	O
of	O
the	O
global	O
advertising	O
market	O
,	O
well	O
behind	O
industry	O
leader	O
Google	B-Application
's	I-Application
31.4	O
%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
12	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
announced	O
plans	O
to	O
buy	O
AOL	O
for	O
$50	O
per	O
share	O
in	O
a	O
deal	O
valued	O
at	O
$4.4	O
billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
If	O
you	O
look	O
forward	O
five	O
years	O
,	O
you	O
're	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
a	O
space	O
where	O
there	O
are	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
massive	O
,	O
global-scale	O
networks	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
's	O
no	O
better	O
partner	O
for	O
us	O
to	O
go	O
forward	O
with	O
than	O
Verizon.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Analyst	O
David	O
Bank	O
said	O
he	O
thought	O
the	O
deal	O
made	O
sense	O
for	O
Verizon	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
deal	O
will	O
broaden	O
Verizon	B-Application
's	O
advertising	O
sales	O
platforms	O
and	O
increase	O
its	O
video	O
production	O
ability	O
through	O
websites	O
such	O
as	O
HuffPost	O
,	O
TechCrunch	O
,	O
and	O
Engadget	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Craig	O
Moffett	O
said	O
it	O
was	O
unlikely	O
the	O
deal	O
would	O
make	O
a	O
big	O
difference	O
to	O
Verizon	B-Application
's	O
bottom	O
line	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
announcement	O
caused	O
AOL	O
's	O
stock	O
price	O
to	O
rise	O
17%	O
,	O
while	O
Verizon	B-Application
's	O
stock	O
price	O
dropped	O
slightly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
before	O
the	O
Verizon	B-Application
purchase	O
,	O
on	O
April	O
14	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
AOL	O
launched	O
ONE	O
by	O
AOL	O
,	O
a	O
digital	O
marketing	O
programmatic	O
platform	O
that	O
unifies	O
buying	O
channels	O
and	O
audience	O
management	O
platforms	O
to	O
track	O
and	O
optimize	O
campaigns	O
over	O
multiple	O
screens	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
Google	B-Application
Search	I-Application
will	O
be	O
replaced	O
on	O
AOL	O
properties	O
with	O
Bing	B-Application
—	O
which	O
will	O
display	O
advertising	O
sold	B-Application
by	I-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
1	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
Go90	O
,	O
a	O
free	O
ad-supported	O
mobile	O
video	O
service	O
aimed	O
at	O
young	O
adult	O
and	O
teen	O
viewers	O
that	O
Verizon	B-Application
owns	O
and	O
AOL	O
oversees	O
and	O
operates	O
launched	O
its	O
content	O
publicly	O
after	O
months	O
of	O
beta	O
testing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
April	O
20	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
AOL	O
acquired	O
virtual	O
reality	O
studio	O
RYOT	B-Application
to	O
bring	O
immersive	O
360	O
degree	O
video	O
and	O
VR	O
content	O
to	O
HuffPost	O
's	O
global	O
audience	O
across	O
desktop	O
,	O
mobile	O
,	O
and	O
apps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2016	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
Communications	O
announced	O
its	O
intent	O
to	O
purchase	O
the	O
core	O
internet	O
business	O
of	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Verizon	B-Application
merged	O
AOL	O
with	O
Yahoo	B-Application
into	O
a	O
new	O
company	O
called	O
"	O
Oath	O
Inc.	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
in	O
January	O
2019	O
rebranded	O
itself	O
as	O
Verizon	B-Application
Media	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
3	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
announced	O
it	O
would	O
sell	O
90	O
percent	O
of	O
its	O
Verizon	B-Application
Media	O
division	O
to	O
Apollo	O
Global	O
Management	O
for	O
$5	O
billion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
division	O
became	O
the	O
second	O
incarnation	O
of	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
September	O
1	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
the	O
following	O
media	O
brands	O
became	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
AOL	O
's	O
parent	O
Yahoo	B-Application
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
mobile-optimized	O
web	O
experiences	O
,	O
AOL	O
produces	O
mobile	O
applications	O
for	O
existing	O
AOL	O
properties	O
like	O
Autoblog	O
,	O
Engadget	B-Application
,	O
The	O
Huffington	O
Post	O
,	O
TechCrunch	O
,	O
and	O
products	O
such	O
as	O
Alto	O
,	O
Pip	O
,	O
and	O
Vivv	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
10	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
AOL	O
's	O
parent	O
company	O
Oath	O
consolidated	O
BrightRoll	O
,	O
One	O
by	O
AOL	O
and	O
Yahoo	B-Application
Gemini	O
to	O
'	O
simplify	O
 '	O
adtech	O
service	O
by	O
launching	O
a	O
single	O
advertising	O
proposition	O
dubbed	O
Oath	O
Ad	O
Platforms	O
,	O
now	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
AOL	B-Application
Mail	I-Application
–	O
AOL	B-Application
Mail	I-Application
is	O
AOL	O
's	O
proprietary	B-Application
email	O
client	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
fully	O
integrated	O
with	O
AIM	B-Protocol
and	O
links	O
to	O
news	O
headlines	O
on	O
AOL	O
content	O
sites	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	B-Protocol
Instant	I-Protocol
Messenger	I-Protocol
(	O
AIM	B-Protocol
)	O
–	O
was	O
AOL	O
's	O
proprietary	B-Application
instant-messaging	O
tool	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
lost	O
market	O
share	O
to	O
competition	O
in	O
the	O
instant	B-Application
messenger	I-Application
market	O
such	O
as	O
Google	B-Application
Chat	O
,	O
Facebook	O
Messenger	O
,	O
and	O
Skype	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
included	O
a	O
video-chat	O
service	O
,	O
AV	O
by	O
AIM	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
15	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
AOL	O
discontinued	O
AIM	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
Desktop	O
is	O
an	O
internet	B-Protocol
suite	I-Protocol
produced	O
by	O
AOL	O
from	O
2007	O
that	O
integrates	O
a	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
,	O
a	O
media	O
player	O
and	O
an	O
instant	B-Application
messenger	I-Application
client	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Version	O
10.X	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
AOL	B-Protocol
OpenRide	I-Protocol
,	O
it	O
is	O
an	O
upgrade	O
from	O
such	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
macOS	B-Application
version	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
WebKit	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
Desktop	O
version	O
10.X	O
was	O
different	O
from	O
previous	O
AOL	B-Application
browsers	I-Application
and	O
AOL	O
Desktop	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
instance	O
,	O
one	O
does	O
not	O
have	O
to	O
sign	O
into	O
AOL	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
use	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
regular	O
browser	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Version	O
9.8	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
replacing	O
the	O
Internet	O
Explorer	O
components	O
of	O
the	O
internet	B-Application
browser	I-Application
with	O
CEF	B-Language
(	O
Chromium	B-Language
Embedded	I-Language
Framework	I-Language
)	O
to	O
give	O
users	O
an	O
improved	O
web	O
browsing	O
experience	O
closer	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Chrome	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
shutdown	O
of	O
AIM	B-Protocol
in	O
2017	O
,	O
AOL	O
's	O
original	O
chat	O
rooms	O
continued	O
to	O
be	O
accessible	O
through	O
AOL	O
Desktop	O
Gold	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
rooms	O
remained	O
active	O
during	O
peak	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
AOL	O
Desktop	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
also	O
offered	O
a	O
browser	B-Protocol
toolbar	I-Protocol
Mozilla	O
plug-in	O
,	O
AOL	B-Protocol
Toolbar	I-Protocol
,	O
for	O
several	O
web	B-Application
browsers	I-Application
that	O
provided	O
quick	O
access	O
to	O
AOL	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
earlier	O
incarnation	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
walled	B-Application
garden	I-Application
"	O
community	O
and	O
service	O
provider	O
,	O
AOL	O
received	O
criticism	O
for	O
its	O
community	O
policies	O
,	O
terms	O
of	O
service	O
,	O
and	O
customer	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
2006	O
,	O
AOL	O
was	O
known	O
for	O
its	O
direct	O
mailing	O
of	O
CD-ROMs	B-Device
and	O
3.5-inch	O
floppy	B-Device
disks	I-Device
containing	O
its	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
disks	O
were	O
distributed	O
in	O
large	O
numbers	O
;	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
,	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
CDs	B-Device
manufactured	O
worldwide	O
had	O
AOL	O
logos	O
on	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
marketing	O
tactic	O
was	O
criticized	O
for	O
its	O
environmental	O
cost	O
,	O
and	O
AOL	O
CDs	B-Device
were	O
recognized	O
as	O
PC	O
Worlds	O
most	O
annoying	O
tech	O
product	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
13	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
Vincent	O
Ferrari	O
documented	O
his	O
account	O
cancellation	O
phone	O
call	O
in	O
a	O
blog	O
post	O
,	O
stating	O
he	O
had	O
switched	O
to	O
broadband	B-General_Concept
years	O
earlier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
2006	O
,	O
AOL	O
was	O
infamous	O
for	O
the	O
unsolicited	O
mass	O
direct	O
mail	O
of	O
3	O
"	O
floppy	B-Device
disks	I-Device
and	O
CD-ROMs	B-Device
containing	O
their	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
such	O
was	O
No	O
More	O
AOL	O
CDs	B-Device
,	O
a	O
web-based	O
effort	O
by	O
two	O
IT	O
workers	O
to	O
collect	O
one	O
million	O
disks	O
with	O
the	O
intent	O
to	O
return	O
the	O
disks	O
to	O
AOL	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
website	O
was	O
started	O
in	O
August	O
2001	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
estimated	O
410,176	O
CDs	B-Device
were	O
collected	O
by	O
August	O
2007	O
when	O
the	O
project	O
was	O
shut	O
down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
allowed	O
users	O
to	O
use	O
only	O
the	O
applications	O
they	O
wish	O
to	O
use	O
,	O
especially	O
if	O
they	O
do	O
not	O
favor	O
the	O
AOL	B-Application
Browser	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
9.0	O
was	O
once	O
identified	O
by	O
Stopbadware	O
as	O
being	O
under	O
investigation	O
for	O
installing	O
additional	O
software	O
without	O
disclosure	O
,	O
and	O
modifying	O
browser	B-Application
preferences	O
,	O
toolbars	O
,	O
and	O
icons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
AOL	O
gave	O
clients	O
access	O
to	O
Usenet	B-Application
in	O
1993	O
,	O
they	O
hid	O
at	O
least	O
one	O
newsgroup	O
in	O
standard	O
list	O
view	O
:	O
alt.aol-sucks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
AOL	O
clients	O
swarming	O
Usenet	B-Application
newsgroups	O
,	O
the	O
old	O
,	O
existing	O
user	O
base	O
started	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
strong	O
distaste	O
for	O
both	O
AOL	O
and	O
its	O
clients	O
,	O
referring	O
to	O
the	O
new	O
state	O
of	O
affairs	O
as	O
Eternal	B-Application
September	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
discontinued	O
access	O
to	O
Usenet	B-Application
on	O
June	O
25	O
,	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
No	O
official	O
details	O
were	O
provided	O
as	O
to	O
the	O
cause	O
of	O
decommissioning	O
Usenet	B-Application
access	O
,	O
except	O
providing	O
users	O
the	O
suggestion	O
to	O
access	O
Usenet	B-Application
services	O
from	O
a	O
third-party	O
,	O
Google	B-Application
Groups	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	O
then	O
provided	O
community-based	O
message	B-Application
boards	I-Application
in	O
lieu	O
of	O
Usenet	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
SpamAssassin	B-Language
developer	O
Justin	O
Mason	O
posted	O
some	O
criticism	O
of	O
the	O
EFF	O
's	O
and	O
Moveon	O
's	O
"	O
going	O
overboard	O
"	O
in	O
their	O
opposition	O
to	O
the	O
scheme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
one	O
time	O
,	O
most	O
AOL	O
users	O
had	O
an	O
online	O
"	O
profile	O
"	O
hosted	O
by	O
the	O
AOL	B-Application
Hometown	I-Application
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
AOL	B-Application
Hometown	I-Application
was	O
discontinued	O
,	O
users	O
had	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
new	O
profile	O
on	O
Bebo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
shutdown	O
of	O
Lifestream	O
,	O
this	O
was	O
no	O
longer	O
supported	O
,	O
but	O
opened	O
to	O
the	O
AIM	B-Protocol
home	O
page	O
(	O
www.aim.com	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
also	O
became	O
defunct	O
,	O
redirecting	O
to	O
AOL	O
's	O
home	O
page	O
.	O
</s>
