LilMamiBella said:
I just decided yesterday that I was going to cancel aol and just go with something free. I've been with aol for 5 years. I did sign up with gmail and have invites if anyone needs them. I also signed up with yahoo. I'd hate to have the problems you have with gmail. Is this normal for everyone?
BEFORE you try & cancel AOL, read the tips on these posts:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=923637
It gave a bunch of tips because others have had the same problem. From all the info, I finally did this:
I spoke to them for a few months about cancelling & they too gave me "free" months then ended up charging me for those "free" months!
Basically
BEFORE cancelling the very last time, I went and bought a prepaid debit card & put very little funds on it. You can get one from Rite Aid or Walgreens usually "Free after Rebate." I went into my AOL account changed the credit card or (checking account) on file to the new prepaid debit card.
I then went & changed my phone number on file so they couldn't spam me with phone calls.
Sure enough, they tried to charge the prepaid debit card (which didn't have enough funds for that "free" month & emailed me saying my card didn't work & THEY would cancel my service!
Instead of calling them again, I faxed them copies of my official cancellation stating how we both mutually cancelled each other. Then I sent them a certified letter of my offical cancellation, (return receipt requested, so I know they got it,) with a money order for what I owe them, stating how we both mutually cancelled each other. They should no longer be charging ME when they cut off my service & the money order was my FINAL payment in full for the time I did use. (Both address & fax number can be found on the other thread.)
My only hope is that they don't continue to "charge" me on the AOL account for a number of more months & then report ME to the credit bureaus for non-payment.
If you have to, make them quite aware that you know there is a Class Action lawsuit against them & that you will join in if you have to:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=983940
As for the Gmail bugs, you can test them out yourself before you give out your Gmail addy to everyone. From your AOL account, simply send yourself a few emails. Use different font sizes & colors. Try to open a few & copy & paste, etc. into new Gmails as though you are inserting info you got from somebody into new emails, then have to edit, add or move around stuff.
Then try to open a second Gmail from your incoming folder to try to copy & add info (like directions to a party) into the email you are composing. It will NOT allow you to have multiple foders open. You either are in Composing mode, or in Incoming mode. You have to maually open another browser window & open Gmail again, to have 2 emails open at the same time.
Create a few Gmails & try to copy & paste from a few posts on the web with various fonts & then try to unify them into one font before sending. Once you've sent them, open the email in your SENT folder &
see if the type in the
archived email is the same as what was sent out.

I've found that it is CHANGED from what
I thought I sent,

so I don't even know if the people I sent them to saw 2-3 different fonts or sizes, when I didn't intend that.

NOT good on business emails where you are trying to look professional.

I spend more time futzing with the font & size buttons than I care to in an email.
Also, you can't move the Gmails around so archived Gmails are sitting next to each other. The order they arrived in your mailbox is how they are stored. I got a few Tracfone referral bonus minutes sent to me. I don't want to add them my phone right away. I'd like to store them together so I won't accidently delete them. I have to add a Title to the emails, but it really doesn't move them to a different order unless I manually archive them. In AOL, I could simply highlight the emails & scroll up & down to move them next to each other in my folder.
AOL email is simple in comparison. As much as I hate to say it, I'd recommend going with their AIM free mail version. It's probably based on the same format they already are using.
EDITTED: I just found out GMail has a forum to help people figure out how to use it. There is also a webpage with a LONG list of keyboard shortcuts to work their program. HELLO! If they need a FORUM to help each other & a list of shortcut directions, thieir system is too complicated! What are they thinking?
