One of the simplest things about the internet was when AOL (America Online) made it simple. AOL business moves were very different from scientific networks or early market players like CompuServe and Prodigy, which respected the old ways. Flat monthly rates instead of the per-minute charges Lots of free trial CDs were sent to homes, put in magazines, and given away in stores Colorful, graphical user interfaces that did not need any technical knowledge Free access to chat rooms, mail, games, and help guides The New York Times wrote in 1994 that AOL had become the 'default starting place for beginners,' and that it was the simplicity that allowed even those people who had no computer background to come on board.
AOL grew by the number of its subscribers in a manner that could only be called explosive: ~200,000 users in 1993 ~1 million by 1994 4.5 million by 1996 16 million by 1999 The level of growth that AOL achieved was unheard of in any online community. When AOL was granted full Usenet access in 1993, many tens of thousands of totally new users began posting on a daily basis—which was way beyond what the small groups of Usenet were meant for. Kelly compared AOL's expansion to the occurrence of "a population boom with no cultural preparation," thereby stating that the digital ecosystem that had remained stable previously was now being "overwhelmed" (Kelly).
Millions of people met the following concepts through AOL: Mature discussion groups facilitating topics according to people's ages, hobbies, and cities Introducing keywords to make navigation easier ("keyword: NEWS" or "keyword: GAMES") AIM (Instant Messenger) which brought about buddy lists, away messages, and online presence culture Easy-to-use email, with the very famous "You've Got Mail" message AOL did not represent the internet as a technical instrument but rather as a social atmosphere—a place to talk, flirt, explore, and casually browse. This cultural model was in a sharp contrast to the more formal, academically-based communities of Usenet.