It's been my observation that most of the "AOL sucks" people out there are people who have 1) either never actually used it or 2) are just geeks (probably Windoze users too) who don't like anything to be simple.... I say this with some authority having been a computer tech for 5 years, a 1000 node NT/Win2k network admin for 5yr, and a certified Computer Education instructor for 15yr. Anyway, when I say "impressive" I mean it. As another reviewer wrote, "I'm my dad's computer tech". I concur. This is exactly the type of "lite" client that older users have been begging for... ease of use, with just the few 'important', large and easy to see icons, for the services they want: e-mail, web browser, Pictures (to see their grandkids) and for some, instant message.

As for the tech aspects of the program, the way that it makes use of Apple supplied products (Mail, Address book, iChat, Webkit-based browser) is GREAT.

AOL is also the only free service provider I know of who allows SFTP access to your online storage/website and lets you link to files in it from other pages without filetype restrictions or forcing pop-ups, banners ads, etc.

XM-Radio is free, e-mail is free, 2 Gb of x-drive storage is free, on Windows it has the #2 ranked online anti-virus/security rating, and nearly ever service has been available in a "mobile" (Palm/phone) format for a few years now.

Sheesh people, what in the H3LL do you want for free? In the days before ubiquitious wireless in hotels etc. AOL was the only company I could count on to have a local dial-up (limited 1-800 if needed) in every major (and most minor) cities.

For the nay-sayers, it's time to forget the past and look at the present. I think the AOL Mac team deserves giant Kudos for this product!

And no, I don't work for AOL, and even when I paid for the seervice I didn't like or use the AOL client (except to dial in) But the simple fact is that if it wasn't worth $20/month I would have used another service, but there were no others (in my rural midwest area) that had the package of services I needed for that price or less.

Give these developers a pat on the back and encourage them to keep supporting Macs! (and keep it SIMPLE for the old folks who need it that way!)