Re "Let the Marketplace Decide," editorial, Jan. 16:
What should be noted is that America Online provided a discount, if you paid cash up front. I personally parted with over $400. Taking that figure and multiplying it, by say 2 million customers ($800 million)--presto: unlimited use of a lot of money. Maybe AOL decided to let us eat cake. However, I can't log on AOL to get the recipe.
AOL is unlike a health club that gets clogged at peak hours. AOL sells convenience, plain and simple. If it is not timely, there is no utility whatsoever. How convenient is it to spend hours logging on to book airline tickets, get stock quotes, or retrieve breaking news?
Maybe time-shifting is the right thing to do. Just tell all those 7-year-olds getting help with their homework via AOL that it's the '90s and we all have to burn the midnight oil.
BRUCE JOHNSON
Dana Point
