I just found out that we have been paying $23.95 / month for YEARS but we did not have to do so!
Long ago, it apparently was a fee for service, and included (for some subscribers?) their internet connection.

The paid version includes discounts on various tech related company offers (McAffee / LifeLock / Computer Tuneup etc.,...)

You do not have to pay for the AOL software!

Icons too large on toolbar. Toolbar too large. Cannot resize the windows or reduce size to coordinate with laptop smaller screen or resolution!
Can't even see full pages and no way to reduce.

Why two steps to sign in?

The list is longer than this but there are other posts...

The top menu and all the icons are a far cry from the technology used in most applications today. They are antiquated. I thought going to AOL Gold was going to be a step in upgraded technology. Instead, we've all taken a step backwards! I am so disappointed in this lame upgrade! AOL, please save money trying to fix the bugs and give us back 9.8.2.

I am a paying customer. I'll pay an extra dollar for AOL 8.2.2

I highly doubt that AOL had any customer input when developing AOL Gold. It's all about how the coders want the software to work. Who cares about the paying customers! All good features AOL had on 9.8.2 were left out. Why didn't AOL put Gold in a BETA and allow people to use it and provide feedback from their customers. Letting the customers test drive it would have been far better than pushing out a premature delivery resulting in customer dissatisfaction.

Worst software delivery ever! These coders can't even sort the member list in chat. They created an issue going from 36 chatters (with a sorted member list) to over a 100 with no sort on the member list. Are you kidding? how stupid was that?

AOL Gold was not ready for prime time yet obviously bugs were not worked out before it was FORCED on AOL customers. AOL kept to their precious delivery schedule of the product no matter how bad the product was. AOL needs to return to the previous version or get off the dime and fix AOL Gold! The developers need to learn about Customer Experience. It is everything for successful software delivery!

YOUR CHANGES WERE NEVER SOUGHT; WHY SOLICIT INPUT AFTER RUINING DESKTOP

THIS IS A NIGHTMARE. You have taken away an ability I need in my profession. I no longer have the automatic choice to embed pictures at low res "easier for sending on line." This was the best way to show clients pictures without having to waste time photo-shopping high-res files down to low res. WHY did you do this??
I am disgusted with this arbitrary decision to mess with what was working fine. I can no longer embed pictures at low resolution for client preview. I have wasted hours installing this GOLD system -- I had to get tech support -- and I am in worse shape than before. The old Desktop gave me a choice to send my high-res files at optimum resolution for easy on-line sending. I no longer have this ability. I HATE what you have done to a service I have paid for and used professionally for years.Please restore this feature or better yet, don't mess with Desktop...

#1 .. SHRINKING WINDOWS SIDE TO SIDE "WIDTH" DOESN'T WORK. PROGRAMMERS MUST BE FOREIGNERS, THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND QUESTIONS.
AND GIVE YOU TUTORIAL HOW TO USE BASIC FEATURES "HOW TO REDUCE WINDOW SIZE"
AOL GOLD WINDOW WIDTH RESIZING "DOES NOT  WORK" .... OLD AOL WINDOW WIDTH CAN BE REDUCED 85%. AOL GOLD ONLY REDUCES 5%.
#2..  MANY EDIT FEATURES DO NOT WORK
#3 .. SPELL CHECK ONLY WORKS SOMETIMES..
#4 .. AOL GOLD IS DISASTROUS PROGRAM DESIGNED BY AMATEURS!
#5.. PASTING A LINK OR TEXT INTO EMAIL IS DISABLED. I HAVE TO TURN TEXT-LINK INTO PLAIN TEXT TO ALLOW PASTING..  
#6.. ALL FEATURES ABOVE WORKED SEAMLESSLY WITH OLD AOL.

AOL GOLD IS A BASIC, BASIC, UNSOPHISTICATED PROGRAM, GEARED TO SELL "THINGS" TO USERS..... WITH SUCH POOR INSULTING SERVICE YOU WILL HAVE NO ONE TO SELL TO. IN 1 YR, MOST PEOPLE WILL LEAVE, & AOL WILL BE BROKE IS MY PREDICTION.. ALL THE REASONS AOL USERS WERE LOYAL TO AOL. HAVE BEEN REMOVED. YOU KEPT AOL NAME BUT QUALITY IS DOWN 80%

160 votes to go back to 9.8 and still counting. I sincerely hope people at AOL are reading these comments.

Gold can take up to 20 seconds to get into the Internet! UNACCEPTABLE!

It takes too long for a Sent email to clear! UNACCEPTABLE!

When typing in the Write Page, the cursor many times will jump to a lower part of the page! UNACCEPTABLE!

The Undo feature under the Edit tab does not always work! UNACCEPTABLE!

When opening up a New Email, it takes 5 seconds or more to show the contents page! UNACCEPTABLE!

BRING BACK THE EASY AND USER FRIENDLY 9.8 Version!

If not, I may choose another provider that is more simplistic and user friendly!

I read that you update AOL Gold every 2 weeks, now I have to ask you if the program is so wonderful why so often??? It would be wonderful if some of these updates including the return of the features we all enjoyed in 9.8.2!!!

Put the sign on screen back to what it was! Why do I have to click "continue" and then the password box to enter my password to sign on? The password box should be on the same screen as your screen name box from the start.

AOL gold is the most confusing, user un-friendly, and problem-laden program I've seen from AOL in 20 years. Try to type in a question to search and you can't even find an answer to the simpliest of questions; you just get another menu that links to another menu, then to another, etc. etc

Gold does not have one thing that is equal to 9.8.2
PERIOD. Where are the new toolbar icons promised in November? You lied then as you are lying now. Never will happen. I have not seen ONE THING good about GOLD yet and it's been 3 months. Talk about hiring the incompetent to do the unnecessary!!!

NO LOCAL NEWS IN LOCAL NEWS - NOW USER UNFRIENDLY FAVORITES - BIASED WELCOME SCREEN STORIES - SLUGGISH SIGN IN - POOR OVERALL SITE PERFORMANCE - ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTING TO LONG TIME PAID SUBSCRIBERS -

Go back to a earlier version that works

Bring back 9.8. Gold is not working for many, as you well know. Thanks!

Sorry for the previous typing errors, but I am sooooooooo ticked-off that I cannot even think straight. Can't you see what people are writing about this fools GOLD.

You can fix idiots but there is no cure for STUPID.