AOLWTFBBQ →[More:]I should not expect different.

Over the years I have tried and failed to wean my dad from AOL. He's been on AT&T broadband for a few years already, he just still uses it for e-mail and browsing (cheaper, at least). Now that he's getting early Alzheimer's symptoms I think it's just not going to happen.

So I do the upgrade that they've been pushing on him for weeks, to AOL 9.1. AOL has its own TCP/IP stack so even if you're using a different browser, while you're using AOL your HTTP requests go through AOL no matter what. When I'm at his computer (once every other day or so), I use Firefox, to keep my bookmarks straight and not be crippled by AOL's browser. No problem.

Well, since the upgrade, stuff I'm doing in Firefox is apparently calling the AOL TCP/IP stack. I'll try to click on a different FF tab, and cause AOL (running in the background) to pop forward. There's nothing ON AOL, mind you, like a web page -- just the AOL program moving to the top of the desktop. Worse, if AOL is not running, once in a while FF -- running on the regular broadband TCP/IP -- calls it anyway, and it says "The program Firefox has called AOL. You need to sign in to use Firefox."

Obviously I don't, and in fact it doesn't stop me from using Firefox, but then I start getting the damned AOL popping to the top every few minutes for no apparent reason.

So, here it is, the 21st century, and I'm still using/supporting damned Quantumlink AOL.

AUUUUGGHHHH!

One saving grace: My dad doesn't use Firefox, so this doesn't happen to him. I don't know how I'd explain it to him, especially since nowadays (due to his condition) I'd just have to explain it again in six weeks.