To those Listers reporting problems with AOL, an article I've just read in the local paper may explain....partially, or wholly, the reason; to wit: Soon companies will have to buy the electronic equivalent of a postage stamp if they want to be certain their E-mail will be de- livered to many of their customers. AOL & Yahoo are about to start using a system that gives preferential treatment to messages from companies that pay from 1/4cent to a penny each to have them de- livered. The 2 companies stand to earn millions a year if this system is widely adopted. AOL & Yahoo claim this will help them identify leg- itimate mail & cut down on junk E-mail, identity-theft scams & other scourges that plague users of their services. Critics of the plan say that both AOL & Yahoo risk alienating users & companies that use E-mail, & that as to companies that send E-mail..."some will pay, but others will object to being held ransom," with a big danger that one of these companies will be big enough to encourage other AOL users to use a different E-mail service. (My comment: How long will it be before this system will be extended to the ordinary "Grunt" residential E-mail subscriber? There have been several proposals over the past few years to impose a 'per- message fee' for residential users. These proposals have come from the US Postal Service who have been lamenting the loss of revenue since the inception of free E-mail. It may just be a matter of time before one of these proposals is adopted.} "Just thought you might want to know." BILL in CT -END-

That is a very old urban legend. Besides, the Post Office has seen a rise in postage paid from buying products online and especially companies like eBay. Elaine <<<----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Waterhouse" (My comment: How long will it be before this system will be extended to the ordinary "Grunt" residential E-mail subscriber? There have been several proposals over the past few years to impose a 'per- message fee' for residential users. These proposals have come from the US Postal Service who have been lamenting the loss of revenue since the inception of free E-mail. It may just be a matter of time before one of these proposals is adopted.} >>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Waterhouse" <wm.r.waterhouse@mailstation.com> To: <RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2006 4:49 PM Subject: [RIGENWEB] PROBLEMS WITH AOL > To those Listers reporting problems with AOL, an article I've just > read in the local paper may explain....partially, or wholly, the reason; > to wit: Soon companies will have to buy the electronic equivalent of > a postage stamp if they want to be certain their E-mail will be de- > livered to many of their customers. AOL & Yahoo are about to start > using a system that gives preferential treatment to messages from > companies that pay from 1/4cent to a penny each to have them de- > livered. The 2 companies stand to earn millions a year if this system > is widely adopted. AOL & Yahoo claim this will help them identify leg- > itimate mail & cut down on junk E-mail, identity-theft scams & other > scourges that plague users of their services. Critics of the plan say > that both AOL & Yahoo risk alienating users & companies that use > E-mail, & that as to companies that send E-mail..."some will pay, > but others will object to being held ransom," with a big danger that > one of these companies will be big enough to encourage other AOL > users to use a different E-mail service. > (My comment: How long will it be before this system will be extended > to the ordinary "Grunt" residential E-mail subscriber? There have > been several proposals over the past few years to impose a 'per- > message fee' for residential users. These proposals have come from > the US Postal Service who have been lamenting the loss of revenue > since the inception of free E-mail. It may just be a matter of time > before one of these proposals is adopted.} > "Just thought you might want to know." > BILL in CT > -END- > > > ==== RIGENWEB Mailing List ==== > The RI Archives http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ri/rifiles.htm > RIGenWeb Archives Search http://www.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/ri/risearch.html > >

Listers, First off, All of those messages about paying an email fee are off topic, please stop. Secondly, for those of you on AOL and other affected servers please save the following link http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ Then when you think you are having a problem with receiving email go to that site and check out the problem The last problem was listed there for several days, the link was posted on this and other lists but if you were among the affected you would not have gotten the message AOL and Rottsweb have been feuding as far back as I can remember Other servers who have a lot of probelms with Rootsweb are CC.com which I think may be the same as compuserve, msn, of course aol, plus a few more smaller servers Arlan Maguire... ********************************************************************* RIGenWeb County Coordinator: Kent County Rhode Island: http://www.rootsweb.com/~rikent/ Washington County Rhode Island: http://www.rootsweb.com/~riwashin/ ********************************************************************* List Administrator: RIGENWEB Mail List ********************************************************************* Maguire Genealogy Site: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~amaguire/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Waterhouse" <wm.r.waterhouse@mailstation.com> To: <RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2006 3:49 PM Subject: [RIGENWEB] PROBLEMS WITH AOL > To those Listers reporting problems with AOL, an article I've just > read in the local paper may explain....partially, or wholly, the reason; > to wit: Soon companies will have to buy the electronic equivalent of > a postage stamp if they want to be certain their E-mail will be de- > livered to many of their customers. (snipped)