I was just thinking of that time when I had my A500 and calling boards when I heard of this new thing called AOL. I was told I can get a free CD from Walmart to install on my computer to gain access to the internet. When I went and asked for a copy, they asked me for what operating system? I said Amiga Workbench. They guy then asked if that was Windows or MacIntosh? I said neither. I need it for a Commodore Amiga that runs Workbench 2.1. Well you know my diapointment. There is more to this story. I will continue later.

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I am not sure why AOL did not make a version for the Amiga, sicne Commodore ang Steve Chase were at least on speaking terms since Quantum Link (AOL for the C=64 litterally) was marketed so heavily with the C=64c and the 1670a modems.

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On 20 Jun 2026, Rug Rat said the following...

I am not sure why AOL did not make a version for the Amiga, sicne Commodore ang Steve Chase were at least on speaking terms since Quantum Link (AOL for the C=64 litterally) was marketed so heavily with the
C=64c and the 1670a modems.

According to my Co-SysOp in the Telecom section, there was an Amiga version of AOL. It was in the beta stages in 1993, I at the time was trying to get on the beta list because I was a SysOp on QLink. Lisa kept requesting access but never received it and when CBM finally went belly up the software was trashed..


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On Sun 21-Jun-2026 8:25a, Bucko@64:500/5.0 said to Rug Rat:

According to my Co-SysOp in the Telecom section, there was an Amiga
version of AOL. It was in the beta stages in 1993, I at the time was
trying to get on the beta list because I was a SysOp on QLink. Lisa kept requesting access but never received it and when CBM finally went belly up the software was trashed..

Was doing some digging and it seems that AOL and Commodore had a falling out over payment for services that Commodore owned Quantum Computer Services/AOL. If this is accurate (and knowing that Commodore and Jack Tramiel did have a history of souring relations with business partners which definatly followed Commodore and hurt the Amiga.) this would also explain why the Atari-ST never recieved a version as well.

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On 23 Jun 2026, Rug Rat said the following...

Was doing some digging and it seems that AOL and Commodore had a
falling out over payment for services that Commodore owned Quantum Computer Services/AOL. If this is accurate (and knowing that Commodore and Jack Tramiel did have a history of souring relations with business partners which definatly followed Commodore and hurt the Amiga.) this would also explain why the Atari-ST never recieved a version as well.

A lot of the issue was Steve Case who ran AOL/QLink, he wanted to expand AOL because he had the foresight to see that AOL was getting big and wanted the resources for AOL, Commodore was going belly up, at the end there was less then 100,000 subscribers, and AOL was getting new subscribers daily I believe they hit 1 million subscribers by 1997! GEnie also was dropping subscribers by the thousands daily, when GEnie went belly up there was less then 50k subsribers. I don't believe Commodore owned QLink or AOL, it was Steve Case who didn't want to go down with the ship, they were offering free AOL to all of the SysOp's of the service. I had over a million hours of free time when I signed off permanently (THey paid me 2.5 to 1 hours for every hour I worked). When I asked them what would happen with the time I was paid and I was told I could switch my account to AOL and I would be given 10 years free monthly charges. I had an Amiga at the time so I lost it all.

Off topic here, in 1993 I had a chance to purchase Quantum Services Stock because there was an underground movement to buy 51% of the stock and take over the company. IT was selling for less then $2 a share, people were buying hundreds if not thousands of shares. When I went to my wife for $1000 for stock she said no, the company will be out of business sooner then you think and we don't have the money to throw away. Well that stock flipped to AOL and if I would have bought a 1000 shares, for $2k that investment would have been worth close to if not over 1 million dollars by year 2000!! Such is life!


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Sorry all!

"OWNED" was a type.. It meant to read... "OWED"..

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On Wed 24-Jun-2026 7:00p, Bucko@64:500/5.0 said to Rug Rat:

Off topic here, in 1993 I had a chance to purchase Quantum Services Stock because there was an underground movement to buy 51% of the stock and take over the company. IT was selling for less then $2 a share, people were buying hundreds if not thousands of shares. When I went to my wife for
$1000 for stock she said no, the company will be out of business sooner
then you think and we don't have the money to throw away. Well that stock flipped to AOL and if I would have bought a 1000 shares, for $2k that investment would have been worth close to if not over 1 million dollars by year 2000!! Such is life!

That reminds me that I was thinking about maxing out a charge card on a cash advance to buy Apple stock as they were about to go bankrupt in 96. I figured my dad would have killed me and stopped myself.....

Though with the way my stock trading goes (as soon as I buy into a stock it goes down until I sell....). So it probbably would have actually gone bankrupt had I done that..

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Re: Re: BBS to Internet in the 90's
By: Bucko to Rug Rat on Wed Jun 24 2026 19:00:06

...if I would have bought a 1000 shares, for $2k that investment would have been worth close to if not over 1 million dollars by year 2000!! Such is life!

You mean, "such as WIFE". :)
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Re: Re: BBS to Internet in the 90's
By: Rug Rat to Bucko on Wed Jun 24 2026 19:45:25

Though with the way my stock trading goes (as soon as I buy into a stock it goes down until I sell....). So it probbably would have actually gone bankrupt had I done that..

And it would've been ALL YOUR FAULT! :)

Don't feel bad. Every time I go to a sporting event, the home team loses, so I stopped going.
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On 25 Jun 2026, Mortar M. said the following...

You mean, "such as WIFE". :)
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LOL yes indeed!! Such as WIfe!!


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Was doing some digging and it seems that AOL and Commodore had a falling out over payment for services that Commodore owned Quantum Computer Services/AOL. If this is accurate (and knowing that Commodore and Jack Tramiel did have a history of souring relations with business partners which definatly followed Commodore and hurt the Amiga.) this would also explain why the Atari-ST never recieved a version as well.

This reminds me of the series, "Halt and Catch Fire". I've often wondered how much reality was in that show. I still need to see seasons 3 and 4.

Nos
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That reminds me that I was thinking about maxing out a charge card on a cash advance to buy Apple stock as they were about to go bankrupt in 96. I figured my dad would have killed me and stopped myself.....

Though with the way my stock trading goes (as soon as I buy into a stock it goes down until I sell....). So it probbably would have actually gone bankrupt had I done that..

I've had the same type of luck. I've often though just as you did... If I would have bought it... it would have tanked. :D

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Re: Re: BBS to Internet in the 90's
By: Nostalgi to Rug Rat on Thu Jun 25 2026 18:43:44

I've had the same type of luck. I've often though just as you did... If I would have bought it... it would have tanked. :D

I was gonna get in on the SpaceX IPO at $135 a share, but forgot. By the time I remembered, the stock had shot up to almosst $200. Damn!
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On Sat 27-Jun-2026 10:31a, Mortar M.@64:500/10.0 said to Nostalgi:

I was gonna get in on the SpaceX IPO at $135 a share, but forgot. By the time I remembered, the stock had shot up to almosst $200. Damn!

Well, with what it is trading at right now, you have another chance to get in at the ground floor!

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I was gonna get in on the SpaceX IPO at $135 a share, but forgot. By the time I remembered, the stock had shot up to almosst $200. Damn!

I would have liked to, but I have been unemployeed since October 2025. I was laid off. 2nd time being laid off in 5 years. I'm also burnt out on IT after having a career in it for 30 years. I'm middle aged and competing with younger individuals with less experience. I've been passed over at 6 different places I've interviewed. I feel stuck. I'm trying to stay positive, but negativity is settig in.
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I know when I thought I was left in the cold when it came to getting on the internet. I put my A500 up for sale and later puchased a 286. Thank goodness I was able to grab another A500 and 1200. Although the 500 stopped working and is put up for now.

I went from 300 baid on the C64, 1200, 2400 and 56K. Later I got a second line for ISDN. Those were the days.

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