I think I got broadband 2+ years ago. Using AOL all those years, I was a fearful ninny, afraid to "go" out of my comfort zone. So I thought I *had to* continue using AOL software; thought it would be easiest; thought it would be fastest; thought my browsing would be the safest. First time I used Internet Explorer as a stand-alone browser, I was astonished about how much more web content I could *easily* find. Even with my AOL browser settings set to show all content, sometimes, I couldn't find the same pages. AND, AOL's freezing got on my nerves! After a while, freedom! I even set my "homepage" to my gmail account via Internet Explorer. If I want web content now, I hardly ever use AOL's search / browser. I'm on IE much more and much longer than I use AOL. I go check mail via AOL software, just because I like how the software's mailbox "feels/looks" (personal opinion). Before, I also liked to see the news items on the AOL Welcome screen, but I can get the same content through AOL web and not have to deal with AOL software's "acccelerator" and AOL's freezing / hourglass. Still unexplainable, AOL goes through slow-downs (seemingly) after I've been on the software a long time, especially with AOL games--almost like AOL's accelerator gets stuck and instead of making a nice online experience, it instead freezes all activity. Two years+ into broadband, if AOL said it would block its own software from loading and everyone had to use AOL web, I wouldn't care a bit. >From fearful ninny believing AOL was the only way to get on the web, I'm finally free. LOL The only reason I haven't just deleted the software is I still like accessing my mailbox there. My opinion, Judy PS someone will likely remember the name-- I can't. There used to be an Add-on for chat rooms that hosts used in AOL chat rooms (Power-something or other?) I do miss that Add-on program, but of course, I don't do AOL chats & AOL took away the ones I did like. Days of nostalgia about AOL Hosts and Guides and "chat riots" from 8 to 10 pm Friday nights -- lol. On 7/30/08, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > Dave- > > Using broadband with AOL software installed is no different from using AOL > with dial up except that you can generally stay logged on all the time. You > can use the AOL browser or any other features you normally would use with the > AOL software. > > Using AOL without having software installed is more like using hotmail or > yahoo webmail and accessing everything from the Internet as you would do if you > were not an AOL subscriber. Most people find webmail to be much slower to use > whether with AOL or another provider. > > Joan