AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Evelyn C. Leeper <[email protected]> wrote:

Reminds me of when it became impossible to get new rolls of
heat-sensitive paper for dial-up terminals from the stockroom
at work.

Ironically, that kind of paper is probably more common than ever
before. But it's only used for receipts. And in that form is
much too narrow to fit into a TI Silent 700 terminal.
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 8/11/2025 6:15 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:

Evelyn C. Leeper <[email protected]> wrote:

Reminds me of when it became impossible to get new rolls of
heat-sensitive paper for dial-up terminals from the stockroom
at work.

Ironically, that kind of paper is probably more common than ever
before. But it's only used for receipts. And in that form is
much too narrow to fit into a TI Silent 700 terminal.

I never used a TI terminal, but I have a portable electronic typewriter
that uses thermal paper. I've got about half a ream of it.

--

Qualified immunity = virtual impunity.

Tim Merrigan

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <107e0n5$2v0ns$[email protected]>,
Evelyn C. Leeper <[email protected]> wrote:

On 8/11/25 7:12 PM, Jay Morris wrote:

AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

Reminds me of when it became impossible to get new rolls of
heat-sensitive paper for dial-up terminals from the stockroom at work.

And of course, one also had to be careful getting a new phone, because
the handset had to fit into the terminal "sockets" (no Princess phones >allowed!).

[Hal Heydt]
I presume you're referring to acoustic coupler modems.

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Jay Morris <[email protected]> wrote:

AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

Far too late for it to do the world any good.

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like Belgium
in the Congo.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 8/12/2025 10:30 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

Jay Morris <[email protected]> wrote:

AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

Far too late for it to do the world any good.

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like Belgium
in the Congo.
--scott

I think they still exist, it's just that one will have to use broadband
to contact them.

--

Qualified immunity = virtual impunity.

Tim Merrigan

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 8/13/2025 12:30 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

Jay Morris <[email protected]> wrote:

AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

Far too late for it to do the world any good.

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like Belgium
in the Congo.
--scott

I do think the timing is appropriate.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 8/13/25 1:30 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

Jay Morris <[email protected]> wrote:

AOL has announced that they will turn off their last dial-up modems at
the end of September. They are down to a few thousand dial-up users out
of 2 million plus.

Far too late for it to do the world any good.

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like Belgium
in the Congo.

Dial-up modems ruined the Internet?

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

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On Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:43:54 -0000 (UTC)
"Keith F. Lynch" <[email protected]> wrote:

Gary McGath <[email protected]> wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like
Belgium in the Congo.

Dial-up modems ruined the Internet?

No, but arguably AOL did, by bringing in a large number of new people
who violated established netiquette.

AOL

It was a lot like what Trump fears is happening to the US, with large
numbers of new people unwilling or unable to assimilate.

'Bring me your poor' ah, the land of the free.

(the same anti-immigration agenda is big here in the UK)

--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.

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Gary McGath <[email protected]> wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like
Belgium in the Congo.

Dial-up modems ruined the Internet?

No, but arguably AOL did, by bringing in a large number of new people
who violated established netiquette.

It was a lot like what Trump fears is happening to the US, with large
numbers of new people unwilling or unable to assimilate.
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 8/13/25 11:43 AM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:

Gary McGath <[email protected]> wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:

They came in, ruined the internet, and then left. Just like
Belgium in the Congo.

Dial-up modems ruined the Internet?

No, but arguably AOL did, by bringing in a large number of new people
who violated established netiquette.

But AOL isn't leaving.

I'm reminded of a song I wrote about 30 years ago about Usenet trolls:

And then I had a vision of the vengeance God has set
For those who think their posts should go on all groups in the Net:
He wouldn't wish them even on the Devil down in Hell;
But they shall spend eternity logged on to AOL!

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

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