In comp.misc, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
Further to that, 34 years ago puts their start in 1991, before CD-ROM
drives became popular in PCs. I think they were giving out floppy disks
for those first few years.
Anybody remember seeing an AOL floppy?
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could just wipe and reuse them.
Someone with more US knowledge please correct me, but I think AOL dialup was >a service that ran over the top of your phone service, which you got from >your local phone company. That meant you could dial in from anywhere with a >phone connection.
To move into broadband they couldn't have had a national service like they >did with dialup, they needed the phone company to install DSL modems or
fiber in your particular area. That means it was (and remains) a very >piecemeal picture based on who offers service in your area. AOL wouldn't
be bringing anything to the table for that beyond a brand name and access to >a small amount of non-internet content, and it wasn't worth doing that >piecemeal.
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or 33.6
- very difficult to get a V.90 connection anymore. They seem to have
done some kind of concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone >lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> wrote:
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could just wipe and reuse them.Except that they were the worst quality floppies and they failed after
a while when you did that. I spent some interesting times recovering
data for a project that used them.
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or 33.6
- very difficult to get a V.90 connection anymore. They seem to have
done some kind of concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at this point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
long distance today there's little need for local POPs.
On 8/18/2025 1:23 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
With the cost of long distance today there's little need for local
POPs.
I pay 5c a minute for long-distance, why would I use long-distance
access numbers to get online?
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
On 8/18/2025 1:23 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
With the cost of long distance today there's little need for local
POPs.
I pay 5c a minute for long-distance, why would I use long-distance
access numbers to get online?
Scott's post implies he may have one of the more expensive local plans
that offer's "free long distance" as part of the deal.
Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> wrote:
In comp.misc, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
Anybody remember seeing an AOL floppy?
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could just wipe and reuse them.
Except that they were the worst quality floppies and they failed after a while when you did that. I spent some interesting times recovering data
for a project that used them.
On 8/18/2025 1:23 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or 33.6
- very difficult to get a V.90 connection anymore. They seem to have
done some kind of concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone >>> lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at this point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
I've already tested them. Panix just resells GlobalPOPs, plus they're >considerably more expensive than other ISPs.
With the cost of
long distance today there's little need for local POPs.
I pay 5c a minute for long-distance, why would I use long-distance
access numbers to get online?
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
On 8/18/2025 1:23 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or 33.6 >>>> - very difficult to get a V.90 connection anymore. They seem to have
done some kind of concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone >>>> lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at this point but they >>> have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
I've already tested them. Panix just resells GlobalPOPs, plus they're
considerably more expensive than other ISPs.
They have competent support people who are well worth paying $10/month for.
I didn't realize they still resold GlobalPOPs at all; I thought they discontinued that a while ago.
But they have their own incoming dialin
numbers in 212.
With the cost of
long distance today there's little need for local POPs.
I pay 5c a minute for long-distance, why would I use long-distance
access numbers to get online?
That's insane! Why do you pay so much?
But they have their own incoming dialin
numbers in 212.
Interesting, so their NYC numbers aren't supposed to be GlobalPOPs?
I just dialed the 212 number on their website and it connected at 31.2,
and it's GlobalPOPs.
Do you have a *specific* number that *isn't* GlobalPOPs?
That's insane! Why do you pay so much?
Because it's cheaper than upgrading to the unlimited plans. If you
wouldn't pay more than that on the per-minute plan, it works out cheaper.
On 8/16/2025 8:49 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/15/2025 8:54 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/14/2025 8:19 AM, Nyssa wrote:
SH wrote:
On 12/08/2025 13:08, Nyssa wrote:
Rich wrote:
Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> wrote:
In comp.misc, Lawrence D'OliveiroWhich I did for many an AOL 3.5" floppy. Not for
<ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
Further to that, 34 years ago puts their start
in 1991, before CD-ROM drives became popular in
PCs. I think they were giving out floppy disks
for those first few years.
Anybody remember seeing an AOL floppy?
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could
just wipe and reuse them.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1395721 >>>>>>>>>
anything valuable, but for a "copy file X from
computer Y to computer Z" use they worked just
fine.
The CDROM's were only useful to either join AOL
(which was never going to happen) or to make
garden scarecrows.
I made coasters with them.
Nyssa, who believe it or not is still on dialup
(not AOL) and has been for almost 40 years (not the
same ISPs)
given the fastest dial up modems are 56 kilobits, it
must feel really slow viewing websites that rely on
broadband to fling audio or video or
Java/SHockwave/Flash at you?
And downloading software must have taken days?
Plus my local (rural) phone lines are crap. I get
~43Kbps on average. It was better when I lived in the
Big City.
If I may ask, which ISP are you using?
I've been doing some testing with several ISPs lately,
all of whom seem to resell GlobalPOPs these days
(including AOL it seems). The top speed I've gotten is
36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or
33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90 connection
anymore. They seem to have done some kind of
concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
There weren't many to choose from, and probably even
fewer now.
I'm using one called Dialup4Less based somewhere out in
the Pactific Northwest. The price has doubled since I
signed up, but still a MUCH better value for me than
anything else offered around these parts.
I tried a local access number in my area, and connected
at 31.2. And sure enough, it appears to be resold
GlobalPOPs. It doesn't look like Dialup4Less has their
own dial-up infrastructure.
Do you mind sharing the specific access number you are
using, and what speeds you usually connect at? I wonder
whether all of their access numbers are deficient, or
just some of them.
You can find a list of POPs on their website. I'm in the
804 area code, if that helps.
I pulled the list of access numbers from the site and
pulled out all the ones in the 804 area code. There seem
to be only five of them, and none of the numbers even
works anymore (a lot of access number lists seem to
include a fair number of stale numbers). Could you also
share the prefix of the working number that you use?
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get
31.2 or 33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90 connection
anymore. They seem to have done some kind of concentration
where they've cheaped out on their phone lines, doesn't
seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at this
point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
With the cost of long distance today there's little need
for local POPs. --scott
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
But they have their own incoming dialin
numbers in 212.
Interesting, so their NYC numbers aren't supposed to be GlobalPOPs?
I just dialed the 212 number on their website and it connected at 31.2,
and it's GlobalPOPs.
Do you have a *specific* number that *isn't* GlobalPOPs?
I don't know any of the numbers; I haven't used dialup for twenty years.
But call their support line, they will know. The people on their support line actually know about their service.
That's insane! Why do you pay so much?
Because it's cheaper than upgrading to the unlimited plans. If you
wouldn't pay more than that on the per-minute plan, it works out cheaper.
Perhaps, but if you're using remote dialup, it might pay. Still, if you
are paying more than two cents a minute within the US you mgith consider
a different long distance provider.
Scott Dorsey wrote:
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I get
31.2 or 33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90 connection
anymore. They seem to have done some kind of concentration
where they've cheaped out on their phone lines, doesn't
seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at this
point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
With the cost of long distance today there's little need
for local POPs. --scott
The best price I can get for long distance service is
2.5 cents/min. using a dial-around service. So, yes,
local POPs are still important unless you only spend
a few minutes online.
On 8/19/2025 8:25 AM, Nyssa wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I
get 31.2 or 33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90
connection anymore. They seem to have done some kind of
concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at
this point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
With the cost of long distance today there's little need
for local POPs. --scott
The best price I can get for long distance service is
2.5 cents/min. using a dial-around service. So, yes,
local POPs are still important unless you only spend
a few minutes online.
That's honestly not that bad for a dial-around provider...
usually they charge through the roof these days!
Especially if it's quality. Mind sharing which carrier
that is?
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/16/2025 8:49 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/15/2025 8:54 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/14/2025 8:19 AM, Nyssa wrote:
SH wrote:
On 12/08/2025 13:08, Nyssa wrote:
Rich wrote:
Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> wrote:
In comp.misc, Lawrence D'OliveiroWhich I did for many an AOL 3.5" floppy. Not for
<ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
Further to that, 34 years ago puts their start
in 1991, before CD-ROM drives became popular in
PCs. I think they were giving out floppy disks
for those first few years.
Anybody remember seeing an AOL floppy?
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could
just wipe and reuse them.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1395721 >>>>>>>>>>
anything valuable, but for a "copy file X from
computer Y to computer Z" use they worked just
fine.
The CDROM's were only useful to either join AOL
(which was never going to happen) or to make
garden scarecrows.
I made coasters with them.
Nyssa, who believe it or not is still on dialup
(not AOL) and has been for almost 40 years (not the
same ISPs)
given the fastest dial up modems are 56 kilobits, it
must feel really slow viewing websites that rely on
broadband to fling audio or video or
Java/SHockwave/Flash at you?
And downloading software must have taken days?
Plus my local (rural) phone lines are crap. I get
~43Kbps on average. It was better when I lived in the
Big City.
If I may ask, which ISP are you using?
I've been doing some testing with several ISPs lately,
all of whom seem to resell GlobalPOPs these days
(including AOL it seems). The top speed I've gotten is
36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or
33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90 connection
anymore. They seem to have done some kind of
concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
There weren't many to choose from, and probably even
fewer now.
I'm using one called Dialup4Less based somewhere out in
the Pactific Northwest. The price has doubled since I
signed up, but still a MUCH better value for me than
anything else offered around these parts.
I tried a local access number in my area, and connected
at 31.2. And sure enough, it appears to be resold
GlobalPOPs. It doesn't look like Dialup4Less has their
own dial-up infrastructure.
Do you mind sharing the specific access number you are
using, and what speeds you usually connect at? I wonder
whether all of their access numbers are deficient, or
just some of them.
You can find a list of POPs on their website. I'm in the
804 area code, if that helps.
I pulled the list of access numbers from the site and
pulled out all the ones in the 804 area code. There seem
to be only five of them, and none of the numbers even
works anymore (a lot of access number lists seem to
include a fair number of stale numbers). Could you also
share the prefix of the working number that you use?
Here are the exchanges I've got in my dialup list
for kppp:
926
451
991
518
415
I usually use the 991 ones since those are closest
to me.
HTH.
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/19/2025 8:25 AM, Nyssa wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:
InterLinked <usenet@phreaknet.org> wrote:
I've gotten is 36000 a handful of times, and usually I
get 31.2 or 33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90
connection anymore. They seem to have done some kind of
concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
Try Panix. I think their pop network is all gone at
this point but they
have dialup lines in NYC and they keep them maintained.
With the cost of long distance today there's little need
for local POPs. --scott
The best price I can get for long distance service is
2.5 cents/min. using a dial-around service. So, yes,
local POPs are still important unless you only spend
a few minutes online.
That's honestly not that bad for a dial-around provider...
usually they charge through the roof these days!
Especially if it's quality. Mind sharing which carrier
that is?
OneSuite.com
I've been a customer for over 20 years. Minimum $10
to set up service.
IIRC if you mention my email address (in the headers),
I think I get a bonus $1 in my account, but I've never
tried it and it may no longer be valid, but what the heck.
My only gripe is that you need to make at least one
call every 6 months or they cut you off (and keep the
balance in your account). I begged once to be reinstated,
and they said "one time only!" so now I have to remember
to make at least one call even when I don't really need
too.
On 8/19/2025 8:21 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/16/2025 8:49 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/15/2025 8:54 AM, Nyssa wrote:
InterLinked wrote:
On 8/14/2025 8:19 AM, Nyssa wrote:
SH wrote:
On 12/08/2025 13:08, Nyssa wrote:
Rich wrote:
Eli the Bearded <*@eli.users.panix.com> wrote:
In comp.misc, Lawrence D'OliveiroWhich I did for many an AOL 3.5" floppy.-a Not for
<ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
Further to that, 34 years ago puts their start
in 1991, before CD-ROM drives became popular in
PCs. I think they were giving out floppy disks
for those first few years.
Anybody remember seeing an AOL floppy?
Definitely. Better than CDs because you could
just wipe and reuse them.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1395721 >>>>>>>>>>>
anything valuable, but for a "copy file X from
computer Y to computer Z" use they worked just
fine.
The CDROM's were only useful to either join AOL
(which was never going to happen) or to make
garden scarecrows.
I made coasters with them.
Nyssa, who believe it or not is still on dialup
(not AOL) and has been for almost 40 years (not the
same ISPs)
given the fastest dial up modems are 56 kilobits, it
must feel really slow viewing websites that rely on
broadband to fling audio or video or
Java/SHockwave/Flash at you?
And downloading software must have taken days?
Plus my local (rural) phone lines are crap. I get
~43Kbps on average. It was better when I lived in the
Big City.
If I may ask, which ISP are you using?
I've been doing some testing with several ISPs lately,
all of whom seem to resell GlobalPOPs these days
(including AOL it seems). The top speed I've gotten is
36000 a handful of times, and usually I get 31.2 or
33.6 - very difficult to get a V.90 connection
anymore. They seem to have done some kind of
concentration where they've cheaped out on their phone
lines, doesn't seem to be real T1s anymore.
There weren't many to choose from, and probably even
fewer now.
I'm using one called Dialup4Less based somewhere out in
the Pactific Northwest. The price has doubled since I
signed up, but still a MUCH better value for me than
anything else offered around these parts.
I tried a local access number in my area, and connected
at 31.2. And sure enough, it appears to be resold
GlobalPOPs. It doesn't look like Dialup4Less has their
own dial-up infrastructure.
Do you mind sharing the specific access number you are
using, and what speeds you usually connect at? I wonder
whether all of their access numbers are deficient, or
just some of them.
You can find a list of POPs on their website. I'm in the
804 area code, if that helps.
I pulled the list of access numbers from the site and
pulled out all the ones in the 804 area code. There seem
to be only five of them, and none of the numbers even
works anymore (a lot of access number lists seem to
include a fair number of stale numbers). Could you also
share the prefix of the working number that you use?
Here are the exchanges I've got in my dialup list
for kppp:
926
451
991
518
415
I usually use the 991 ones since those are closest
to me.
HTH.
Yes, although not in the way I was expecting... on their website[1],
there are no numbers in any of these exchanges listed, with the
exception of the last one - two numbers, 415-4055 and 415-4008. I
wouldn't be surprised if those weren't the numbers in your list either.
It seems the access numbers you are using are "delisted" for whatever reason.
I want quality long-distance service, not some cheap service that sounds
like VoIP.
On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:55:42 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I want quality long-distance service, not some cheap service that sounds
like VoIP.
Surely it rCLsounds like VoIPrCY precisely because everybodyrCOs backhaul trunks
are over VoIP now. Who is going to pay extra to have dedicated longhaul cables or microwave links that are only used for voice calls and nothing else? Nobody has the amount of voice traffic to justify that.
I've tested some cheap long-distance services that are cheap precisely because they're garbage quality (e.g. Excel, 5102), and can't even hold
a 300 baud modem connection without corruption.
On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:56:09 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I've tested some cheap long-distance services that are cheap precisely
because they're garbage quality (e.g. Excel, 5102), and can't even hold
a 300 baud modem connection without corruption.
The irony of carrying voice service over broadband IP-based backhaul, and then trying to implement a low-bandwidth IP service on top of that ...
only in the USA??
On 8/19/2025 11:17 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:56:09 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I've tested some cheap long-distance services that are cheap
precisely because they're garbage quality (e.g. Excel, 5102), and
can't even hold a 300 baud modem connection without corruption.
The irony of carrying voice service over broadband IP-based
backhaul, and then trying to implement a low-bandwidth IP service
on top of that ... only in the USA??
There is a lot of stuff in the field that uses 300 baud modems for
telemetry.
Low-speed modem protocols without error correction also tend to be a
decent quality test for voice connections.
On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:37:24 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
On 8/19/2025 11:17 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:56:09 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I've tested some cheap long-distance services that are cheap
precisely because they're garbage quality (e.g. Excel, 5102), and
can't even hold a 300 baud modem connection without corruption.
The irony of carrying voice service over broadband IP-based
backhaul, and then trying to implement a low-bandwidth IP service
on top of that ... only in the USA??
There is a lot of stuff in the field that uses 300 baud modems for
telemetry.
I have a customer who does a lot of that, up and down the country.
They use wireless connections (formerly 3G, now 4G) for that.
Low-speed modem protocols without error correction also tend to be a
decent quality test for voice connections.
A more accurate test would surely involve actual voices.
On 8/20/2025 6:08 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:37:24 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
There is a lot of stuff in the field that uses 300 baud modems for
telemetry.
I have a customer who does a lot of that, up and down the country.
They use wireless connections (formerly 3G, now 4G) for that.
Everything I deal with is on POTS lines.
Low-speed modem protocols without error correction also tend to be
a decent quality test for voice connections.
A more accurate test would surely involve actual voices.
It can be hard to test things like latency and compression purely
from just voice.
Bad or just-okay connections tend to be forgiving for voice but less
so for data.
On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:44:40 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
On 8/20/2025 6:08 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:37:24 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
There is a lot of stuff in the field that uses 300 baud modems for
telemetry.
I have a customer who does a lot of that, up and down the country.
They use wireless connections (formerly 3G, now 4G) for that.
Everything I deal with is on POTS lines.
Seems like an expensive and unwieldy way to do it. The remote sensors
might need to go months between inspections. They need to, not only
withstand the elements, but have an adequate power supply. A wireless
data connection means they can make a connection, exchange data, and disconnect again, all within a fraction of the time (and power
consumption) it takes to do a modem handshake.
Low-speed modem protocols without error correction also tend to be
a decent quality test for voice connections.
A more accurate test would surely involve actual voices.
It can be hard to test things like latency and compression purely
from just voice.
Sure it is. All you need is the right instrumentation and testing
standards to measure that voice. You *do* have standards, donrCOt you?
Bad or just-okay connections tend to be forgiving for voice but less
so for data.
Another reason not to use them.
Here <https://www.sierrawireless.com/> is the sort of comms modules
that customer is using.
I was referring to different tests that could be done to evaluate the suitability of a long-distance provider for voice usage.
On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 18:34:28 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I was referring to different tests that could be done to evaluate the
suitability of a long-distance provider for voice usage.
I thought you were talking about data usage, not voice usage, which you
said tended to be more rCLforgivingrCY.
On 8/22/2025 12:12 AM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 18:34:28 -0400, InterLinked wrote:
I was referring to different tests that could be done to evaluate the
suitability of a long-distance provider for voice usage.
I thought you were talking about data usage, not voice usage, which you
said tended to be more rCLforgivingrCY.
I'm talking about using data calls as a general test, whether using for
data or voice.
Because voice is more forgiving, it's lousy as a test
mechanism ...
US-based ISP America On-Line (AOL) will finally turn off its dialup
Internet service at the end of September ending 34 years of operation.
Does this mean the Eternal September will finally come to an end?
AOL is shutting down its dial-up internet service after 30 years, with the >discontinuation set for the end of September 2025. This marks the end of an era[end quoted "search assist"]
for many users who experienced the early days of the internet through AOL's >services. Yahoo The Guardian
AOL Shutting Down Dial-Up Internet Service
Overview
AOL, originally known as America Online, is discontinuing its dial-up internet >service after 30 years. This decision marks the end of an era for many users who
experienced the early days of the internet through AOL's distinctive dial-up >connections.
Key Details
Shutdown Date: The dial-up service will officially cease operations on
September 30, 2025.
Historical Significance: AOL was a pioneer in providing internet access to
millions of Americans, especially during the 1990s and early 2000s. At its
peak, it had over 30 million subscribers.
Decline of Dial-Up: The rise of broadband and wireless internet has led to a
significant decline in dial-up users. As of 2023, only about 163,401
households in the U.S. relied solely on dial-up, representing just over 0.13%
of all internet subscriptions.
Company Evolution
Founding: AOL was founded in 1985 as Quantum Computer Services and rebranded
in 1991. It became known for its iconic "You've got mail" notification.
Ownership Changes: AOL has undergone several ownership changes, including a
merger with Time Warner in 2000 and later acquisitions by Verizon and Apollo
Global Management.
Service Changes: In addition to shutting down dial-up, AOL has previously
discontinued its Instant Messenger service in 2017 and continues to offer
email and other online services.
This shutdown reflects the broader trend of moving away from older internet >technologies as faster and more reliable options become the norm.
Yahoo Wikipedia
On Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:11:54 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote
US-based ISP America On-Line (AOL) will finally turn off its dialup >Internet service at the end of September ending 34 years of
operation.
Does this mean the Eternal September will finally come to an end?
On Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:11:54 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
<ldo@nz.invalid> wrote
US-based ISP America On-Line (AOL) will finally turn off its dialup >>Internet service at the end of September ending 34 years of operation.
Does this mean the Eternal September will finally come to an end?
On Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:11:54 -0000 (UTC)
Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
US-based ISP America On-Line (AOL) will finally turn off its dialup
Internet service at the end of September
There are other dial-up providers beside AOL. That kind of connection
is only good for email however and maybe Usenet. Impossible to surf
the modern web. I remember when webpages strove to keep an individual
page size below 30KB. Long ago.
Retrograde <fungus@amongus.com.invalid> writes:
On Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:11:54 -0000 (UTC)
Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
US-based ISP America On-Line (AOL) will finally turn off its dialup
Internet service at the end of September
There are other dial-up providers beside AOL. That kind of connection
is only good for email however and maybe Usenet. Impossible to surf
the modern web.
There's a work-around that can help a little for site you visit often, assuming that useful info will render w/o js, assuming you have a
resident web server on localhost and can write some perl code.
Put a link on your home page on localhost to a cgi-bin script. (You
*do* keep a home page on localhost, don't you? ;-) Cause that link to
send the real URL as data.
Create a cgi-bin perl script that reads the request from your bowser,
then uses wget or similar to fetch the target page.
The script reads in whatever is sent into a perl variable, then use
regexps to elide all IMG and SCRIPT tags/blocks, elides STYLE and SVG
blocks, elides and LINK tags the fetch or prefetch other data.
Re-writing and anchor tags that point back to the remote host so that
they point to the script instead (handing the script the real URL as
data) is also good but a little more trouble.
Script then sends the result of the editing process back to your
browser.
I've only been off dial-up for five years. This hack sped up several
sites. I still use some of the scripts to get rid of unwanted STYLE
and js.
Useless, of course, for all-js social media sites but I don't do those anyway.
I remember when webpages strove to keep an individual page size
below 30KB. Long ago.
Now some email has more than 30KB in headers, not to mention
unwarranted HTML with huge STYLE blocks.
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