AOL continues to use Microsoft Internet Explorer as the base of their service
offering. This means that regardless of AOL marketing there is a very good
chance that AOL users systems are already controlled by parties other than their
owners. After all 80% were in AOL's own survey.
"AOL maintains policy of not spoiling users: America Online reaffirmed its
commitment to mediocrity today announcing plans to build a standalone Web
browser based, not on Firefox -- the gold standard among browsers and developed
in part with AOL money -- but on Microsoft's cumbersome and hopelessly insecure
Internet Explorer. Kerry Pearce-Parkins, director of AOL Product Management,
said the company stuck with IE so users won't have to make "a leap of faith."
But given that the idea behind the browser is to drive traffic to AOL
programming and products, I'd say this is really more about a consistent user
experience."
--from Good Morning Silicon Valley.
Basically, using AOL, MSN or SBC/Yahoo! practically guarantees that you will
have your system taken over while surfing the internet. Drop AOL (or any other
ISP that forces you to use Microsoft based browser technology) and get a real
Internet Service Provider that supports Firefox.
http://www.astreet.com/article.php?sid=306
