(AOL) A US on-line service provider based in Vienna, Virginia, USA. AOL claims to be the largest and fastest growing provider of on-line services in the world, with the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its three million subscribers electronic mail, interactive newspapers and magazines, conferencing, software libraries, computing support, and on-line classes.

In October 1994 AOL made internet ftp available to its members and in May 1995, full Internet access including world-wide web.

AOL's main competitors are prodigy and compuserve.

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