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8:23:00 AM EST
Feeling Sad
Ten Year Anniversary Dampened
I have some difficult decisions to make.
In his rather condescending entry on AOL Journals: Magic Smoke, AOL's VP of Community Bill Schreiner wrote: "Some of you are convinced that the addition of ads destroys that experience. I am less certain of that."
My response to that would be, "I'm involved in a class action lawsuit against one of the main advertisers featured in the banner. Another is a competitor of my workplace. Please don't assume this is unimportant to me. You don't know me. Having those advertisers blaring from the top of my blogs, the first one in particular, destroys my personal experience."
Mr. Schreiner goes on to say, "I can't reconcile it with the fact that we have wonderful, passionate communities thriving in ad-supported pages in message boards, Groups, Chat, Hometown, Email, AIM... really across the entire network both inside the paid service and out."
My response: "I don't use Hometown for my web page due to the advertisements. As for Groups, Chat, Email and message boards -- those are not of the personal endeavor manner such as AOL Journals. If the ads were in my email, not just on the screen, I wouldn't use AOL email. The ads are not a part of the email in the way they are a part of the Journals. AIM ads are an entirely different matter. AIM is free; free should always expect ads in my way of thinking. My account is a member account, not an AIM name."
Mr. Schreiner goes on to say, "Since AOL Journals had no ads for so long, I can understand why some believed that they never would. Some of you have moved on because of this and that's understandable too. We're sorry this change has affected the way you feel about us. We thank you for the contribution you made while you were here. We will miss your words. We will miss your passion."
I respond, "This is a shocking statement from the company addressed to paying members of the service. In this one segment alone, you may as well say end it with '... and don't let the door hit you on the way out.' I cannot believe this attitude of a company official aimed towards members of the service. Don't we mean anything to AOL?"
Mr. Schreiner continues, "We've also learned how important the J-Land community is to the majority of you who have elected to stay. You are important to this community and to us, and we appreciate the understanding and support that you've shown. A special thanks to all the folks who have thrown a virtual hug around Joe here at Magic Smoke and in email. Thank you for putting this bump in the road in your rearview mirror. We're excited about moving on as well."
I say, "I'm just about speechless at this point. The MAJORITY of folks are against the banners. Some tried other services, encountered a learning curve and returned. Many stayed in hopes that AOL would actually listen to members... for a change (the track record as of late in that regard is horrible). Many of those who have spoken out haven't attacked Joe -- I know I haven't. Heck, if I were one of the ones who posted little glowing comments in his blog, I'd feel like a good puppy getting a pat on the head with this part of the entry. Was this part even necessary? What are you going to do? Will the special folks get special ads or something? Moving on? What about all the logical and polite (I might add) compromise solutions in lieu of huge flashing banners? What of choice of ads? What of smaller ads in the sidebars or on the bottom? Moving on with no consideration of those suggestions which wouldn't make everything all right, but the ad at least wouldn't take over the journal at first sight? Once again, I'm appalled."
Mr. Schreiner: "I've asked the team to double down and speed up the delivery of some new features you've requested. They are eager to get to it. Some of my favorites that are coming before the end of the year:..."
I say: "To be honest, I'm not concerned with those changes. I'm more concerned about the lack of value of an AOL Member to the AOL service. There is a crisis here -- one caused by AOL making a wrong-minded decision and unexpectedly launching it without any consideration for the members who pay to be a part of AOL. There is a crisis here -- one which isn't going to just be swept under the rug. As a member I know that advertising is important to the business. However, as a member, I expect better treatment from AOL. As a member, I would expect it to be a priority to look into the possiblities of less intrusive ad styles for Journals if you feel ads are necessary. Buddy Lists and Journal listings are usually very different. Why would we want that when we'd prefer an alternative to the huge animated ads thrown atop our Journals?"
Today, according to my profile, marks my 10th anniversary as an AOL Member. I actually had another account a few years before that, too. I've been a very pro-AOL member for most of that time, recommending the service to family and friends; being a Volunteer Community Leader doing programming, writing content, hosting message boards and chat, helping other members whenever I could at the drop of a hat. I cared about AOL... probably as much, if not more, than many of those who worked for the company.
I've seen it change over the years. I first signed on with Version 2.0. It was a magical place where communities were thriving and friendships grew. At this time, all of that magic is available to free AIM members... including the relatively new magic of J-Land. As AOL members, many of us with several years here, the only member benefits which are ours are the email, safety stuff, spam blockers, parental controls and KOL. I don't have any children, so the last two mean nothing to me. I have used my own anti-virus methods for years. AOL's tend to freeze my computer. Even the cheapest Internet services around have email, spam blockers and more.
I have a question... since AOL is giving almost all of Community away for free to AIM, why aren't our charges as paying members going down? We are paying for less Community as each month goes by and AOL is making money from garish banner ads slapped on everything in sight, including our personal thoughts. In this entry, Mr. Schreiner has made it obvious that they don't care if members leave.
AOL Community used to have a slogan -- "Community, the Heart of AOL." Nowadays, it seems, "AOL Community, Free For All and don't let the door hit you on the way out if you're a paying member."
I'm beyond saddened here. The 2-Faced Baseball will find a new home eventually. My other blog -- Not Weird, Eccentric - A Jackie Blog will be updated regularly. My only plans for this one will be perhaps instructional uses of how to use Bloglines or feeds readers to keep up on when I post new entries. As for the show blogs on my other name, it's time I earned money from them (not someone earning money off of me). As those have developed a sizable following I'm looking into venues which would actually pay me or possibly even a domain with my choice of ads to support them. Not AOL's choice of ads and certainly not an animated huge ad banner.
Happy ten years to me. I guess.
Added note at 9:37 AM ET -- the motorcyle just jumped into the journal as I went to view it. So much for that going away.
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I DON'T LIKE THE BANNER BUT I SCROLL DOWN PAST THEM VERY FAST AND THEY ARE NOT AS ANNOYING AS THEY FIRST WERE TO ME. I HAVE TRAINED MY EYES TO NOT FOCUS ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE UNTIL I HAVE SCROLLED PAST IT. I HAVE LEFT AOL SEVERAL TIMES BUT ALWAYS RETURN BECAUSE I HAVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE ON MY COMPUTER FROM AOL.
http://journals.aol.com/judypearllove/ToBlessedToBeStressed / -
Jackie, I understand. I was expressing my opinions. Your blogs are popular and rightly so. I have no experience with aol's practices and so I can't comment. I never read blogs until I read yours, and enjoy yours more than any others I have encountered. My pop ups are blocked and I don't read the ads. Though I do read your blogs several times a week...On aol, sorry.
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I'm entitled to my own feelings about the ads and how AOL treated its actual members in regard to them. My Blogspot blog is in motion; I'll continue writing blogs, but most likely not on the AOL Journals product -- which was limited in what you can do, anyway.
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Jackie, I am still amazed by your rantings about advertisements. No one reads them, unless they want to. They do not pop up annoyingly while reading your blogs. It's just commerce and aol is so big, it doesn't suprise me. Nothing is free and at least we don't have to worry about aol selling the information. At least I don't think they do. I have no allegiance to any of these companies and I think your "non-endorsement" speaks to your feelings. Don't deprive the aol subscribers of you musings. And don't be so negative. It's so not you and ads will find there way to every popular forum, especially if the service provided to us for free. Just my opinion. Whatever happened to the Mole? Did you ever blog that show?
1/4/06 1:09 AM
Also, the Blogspot/Blogger software is a lot more versatile.