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Author Topic:  When am I active on the Internet
Louie Hallford

 

From:
denison tx
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 4:30 pm    
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Why do I get knocked off line so often for being inactive.This is especially irritating when I have spent 10 minutes to write a post and get tripped off also erasing my message before I get it posted

My ignorant question is :when am I active and inactive?

[This message was edited by louie hallford on 26 April 2000 at 05:32 PM.]

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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 4:38 pm    
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Quote:
My ignorant question is :when am I active and inactive?
Louie: I see you are on AOL (me too). That's too bad. The only way to be sure if you are "active" is to have a heart monitor hooked up while you are on-line, but you need to have a second phone line installed to communicate the EKG data to the intern whose job it is to lose the information. Then they'll just cut you off, as usual.

(Actually, Louie, doesn't AOL pop a little box up in front of your face to ask whether you still want to stay on line? Mine does. If you click on 'Yes', you get to stay. If you click 'No' they cut you off at the knees. If you don't reply, like maybe you went to the bathroom, too bad, within 5 minutes you're offa that thing! If that happens alot, try eating more fiber.)

[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 26 April 2000 at 08:20 PM.]

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Marty Pollard

 

Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 6:11 pm    
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Yeah Louie, most ISPs use a cutoff timer to conserve bandwidth/active connections. Everytime you refresh a page or download a new one the timer gets reset. Either think faster, type faster, or refresh regularly.
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Kenny Forbess

 

From:
peckerwood point, w. tn.
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 7:57 pm    
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Louie,
Every so often, reach up and check your mail or hit refresh and go on about your buisness.
Kenny
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Ricky Davis


From:
Bertram, Texas USA
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 9:56 pm    
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I use AOL and never get kicked off because I beat the system. Yes you need to be active so there is a running display AOL offers that I run everytime I'm online.
Click "keyword" and then type in "Quickmenu" and a running tab/advertisement thing will come up at the top of screen. Just run that anytime and you won't get kicked off; it acts as a refreasher tab and makes it look like your constantly busy to that program that kicks you off.
Have fun.>oh I just leave my computer online all day wheather I'm on it or not; and I stay online this way everyday for a year; so It works.
Ricky
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Everett Cox

 

From:
Marengo, OH, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2000 11:55 pm    
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Louie--If you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer--Click on 'View' at the top of the browser window then on 'Options' at the bottom of the drop down menu. In the window that opens up, click the 'Connections' tab. That will bring up another window which has a 'Settings' button. Click that button and you'll see near the bottom of the resultant window the current 'disconnect' settings. Uncheck the function or change the time to what you want. To recap:
'View/Options/Connection/Settings' (Your versions may be a little different.)--Everett
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 27 Apr 2000 3:33 am    
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Along with the "time out" disconnects, I have several friends on AOL that get randomly disconnected even while they are doing something and from some reports on here, it's fairly common. I have a next door neighbor that is on Compuserve - owned by AOL - and she has the same problems with drop offs.

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Tommy Mc


From:
Middlesex VT
Post  Posted 27 Apr 2000 6:37 am    
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Such a timely thread! I just complained to America OFFline about the same problem. I was typing a post on the forum and got knocked off even after responding yes to the pop-up window. I'm trying Ricky's suggestion right now, but do you have to enter that keyword every time you log on? We pay top dollar for AOL. It has nice features, but they're no good if you aren't online. Below is their response to my complaint:


We understand that the timer feature may cause an inconvenience to those surfing or
downloading from the web or to those playing an AOL online game.

Let me offer you some tips that might help:
1. If you are playing an online game that runs over AOL (so that you can't see
AOL all the time) remind yourself to keep checking back into AOL every 30
minutes or so.
2. If you are surfing the Web with a different browser (i.e., Netscape) you
should also be checking back to AOL every 30 minutes or so.
3. If you are downloading a large file with your browser, keep checking back
to ensure that you aren't logged off.
4. If you are playing a game like Air Warrior (it automatically "minimizes"
AOL when you start to play), maximize AOL as soon as you start to play.
If you have AOL maximized but in the background, the "Time Logged On"
reminder will pop to the front so that you can acknowledge it and thus stay
online.

WINDOWS USERS:
You can ALT+TAB to America Online every 45 minutes to check for the 45
minute timer. Click OK on the timer to stay online.

MACINTOSH USERS:
If you are running the 8.5 version of the system software you can COMMAND+TAB
to America Online every 45 minutes to check for the 45 minute timer. Click OK
on the timer to stay online. In order to do this on any earlier version of the
system software, you will need to have Microsoft Office Control Panel installed.
This control panel should enable you to use these same commands.

NOTE: If you are using external Winsock applications such as Netscape, or an
FTP application, DO NOT minimize the America Online software.
Keep America Online maximized in the background. This will cause
the timer to pop up to the front of the screen when you have been
online for 45 minutes.

IMPORTANT:
1. The online reminder is different than the Idle timer. The reminder message
can appear while you are actively using the service.
2. You must click the timer button with your mouse. Just remember that you must
use the mouse to be sure.
3. Please read the information below for details that will help you to better
understand the timer.

Approximately 45 minutes after you have signed on, you will receive a Pop-Up
that says, in essence, "DO YOU WANT TO REMAIN ONLINE?" You will be
given 10 minutes to respond, or you will be disconnected. If you choose to
remain online, the clock restarts with a fresh 45 minutes and the cycle continues.
This differs from the Idle Timer Pop-Up in that the Idle Timer Pop-Up notice is
invoked due to inactivity while you are online, whereas 45 Minute Timer Pop-
Up will occur even though you are actively engaged while online.

If you are playing online games and using external browsers, etc., you will have
this Pop-Up also. You simply need to click OK and go back to what you were
doing.

NOTE: The Pop-Up only occurs if the America Online program maximized. If you
are using an external browser, such as Netscape, and you minimize AOL,
the Pop-Up will occur but you will not see it.

The reminder feature is now a standard function of the AOL service. The use
of programs that defeat the Idle timer and the 45 minute Logon Reminder are prohibited under America Online's Terms Of Service.

[This message was edited by Tommy Mc on 27 April 2000 at 07:39 AM.]

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Jeff Agnew

 

From:
Dallas, TX
Post  Posted 27 Apr 2000 10:18 am    
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Quote:
The use of programs that defeat the Idle timer and the 45 minute Logon Reminder are prohibited under America Online's Terms Of Service.


Exactly. Programs like KillTimer and AntiTimer would be against the rules. Folks, please don't use these programs on your machines at home. The fact they allow you to use AOL in a more efficient manner and be more productive with your time is contrary to the TOS.

Louie, the best thing you can do is wipe AOL from your computer (not an easy thing to do) and get a real ISP. It will cost you less, work better, connect faster and with more stability, get rid of the annoying pop-up windows, cost you less, reduce the amount of spam you receive, reduce the number of system crashes, cost you less (did I mention that one before?), and... Well, you get the idea.

But as I said, I hope no one attempts to use programs like those linked above to circumvent AOL's timer restrictions. That would be wrong.

Regards,
Jeff
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 27 Apr 2000 11:01 am    
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AOL = "Always Off Line". AOL is good for a beginner to get started, however, once you have been on line for a little while there are better services that do not have the myriad of connection problems AOL has and unlimited access for less.

I have Earthlink, which is unlimited access and I can only remember 1 time in the last year that I got a busy and it was only for two dialups and on the third I got in. I live in a suburban area that is not part of the Tampa/St Petersburg calling area and they still have three local access numbers (I have no information on how big their modem bank is and how many it can accept at one time). AOL only has one and the AOL subscribers get a lot of busy's, which means their modem bank is not that big. Bill Gates (MSN) does not even have a local presence!
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Bill Crook

 

From:
Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance
Post  Posted 28 Apr 2000 10:09 am    
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Almost all IPs have a time limit, ( when it dosen't see anything happin' ) that it automatically disconnects you from the net.

This is a hold-over from the early times of computer BBS systems, as most systems were long distant connections and this was the way to keep a person from running up a very large telephone bill.

Also now in the modern day net usage, this allows the website to adjust the number of participantants (sp) when it thinks that a member has forgotten to "LOG OFF" the net, in order to accomudate other members who wish to "LOG ON".

Sorry, But I think we will have to live with this for a long time.

About the only way you can get around this is to go to a "CABLE-NET"system, like "XXX@HOME" system. That way you are "ON-LINE" 100% of the time.

[This message was edited by Bill Crook on 28 April 2000 at 11:12 AM.]

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Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 28 Apr 2000 11:58 am    
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The majority of the ISP's in my area do not bump you off. I am on Erienet which was bought out by a concern in Pittsburgh recently. For over two years their policy has been to NEVER "bump" anybody off. I stay logged on day in and out with no disconnects whether I am active or not for $19.99 a month. AOL sucks and with the "bump off" policy they show how old fashioned and careless they are with their cutomers. I was on AOL briefly and left because of that. They should tell you this upfront before you sign on. Another local provider, the Byte Shop, bumps people off and they are losing customers because of it. I view this like the telephone or TV cable. For $20 or more per month I should be able to have uninterrupted service. If you can't provide the hardware and resources to provide enough capacity for your customers, you shouldn't accept or be advertising for more customers. Most local providers offer excellent support and shouldn't be viewed as fly by night operators. They have the knowledge and capacity to support their entire customer base. You will get full email, usenet access, no bumping (in most cases, shop around), unrestricted net access. IMHO you get more features with a local provider, it is just packaged differently, but you will find that you don't have to be a techie or a programmer to get to all the web content you need.

Greg
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Chip Fossa

 

From:
Monson, MA, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 29 Apr 2000 11:07 am    
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DITTO about AOL. I was with them at 1st,
but 86'd them after I had had enuff of getting scrambled with their childish nit-picking.
Who needs it? I'm now with a local IP, "MAP",
and they hardly ever disconnect you. If they
see no activity for 45 mins., then they cut you. But many times, I have layed down for a nap, or have actually gone to bed, only to wake up hours later, and find that I am still connected. Can't figure.
But the only thing I can figure, is to scrap
AOL. They stink.
With no AOL, no problems.

Chips Ahoy

------------------
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5
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Moon in Alaska

 

From:
Kasilof, Alaska * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 29 Apr 2000 11:32 am    
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I am using a Mac with Netscape and if I get dropped off the line while typing a reply, If I click submit reply, and wait, My browser dials and reconnects, and then submits the reply. I used to click on a window to get back on the internet, and would allways lose my message. If I do nothing, everything comes out OK.


------------------
<< Moon Mullin in Alaska >>
==Carter S-10==
<< Old Fender-400 >>
== Evans FET 500 Custom LV ==
Click HERE for Moon's Home Page


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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 30 Apr 2000 9:24 am    
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I agree with most of you guys...dump AOL, and get a real I.S.P.! AOL is for kids.
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