America Online

AOL (originally America Online) was an online service provider based in, USA.

History
AOL began as the personal edition of the AppleLink online service, contracted by Apple Computer to Quantum Computer Services, the operators of. It was launched at AppleFest in Boston on May 20, 1988. After the two companies split over disagreements, Quantum renamed itself and the service to America Online in 1991. Apple launched eWorld in 1994 to compete with America Online, but its online service quickly failed.

AOL became the largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world, with the most active subscriber base. AOL offered its three million subscribers electronic mail, interactive newspapers and magazines, conferencing, software libraries, computing support, and online classes. In October 1994, AOL made FTP services available to its members and in May 1995, full Internet access including the web.

However, AOL did not keep up with the rapid transition from to broadband services and has since been sold as a subsidiary of.