Why is AOL directing users to Yahoo Message Boards?

So one question that’s on everyone’s mind is why is AOL directing people to Yahoo Message boards. There is no official answer to this question but if we read between the lines we can figure out why.

The message board everyone seems to be ending up in is Yahoo’s ACC Message board.

What does ACC stand for?

ACC is the Atlantic Coast Conference, it pertains to a list of 12 colleges who play in the NCAA College Bastketball.  The university of North Carolina will be participating in the NCAA Final Four on April 4th, 2009. People Connection has a heading called “Top Headlines” and the NCAA Final Four is very much so a top headline. Now this should explain why AOL is linking to this particular message board.

Well why is AOL directing users to Yahoo Message Boards?

Facebook, Myspace, on AOL.com?

Well first I need to explain AOL’s home page. You may have noticed in the previous year, AOL.com has begun linking to Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Ebay, and Facebook. AOL is trying to show the world how ‘cultured” they are by linking to such sites. It’s really just another way to show how they are no longer a “walled garden”.

Does this mean AOL is letting Yahoo take over the message boards?

No, let’s take a look at the People Connection page. Under the Top Headlines, it links to several other message boards. All of these message boards are not owned or operated by AOL, BUT, AOL is linking to them. Whenever someone posts a new topic on these specific message boards, AOL displays the newest topic as soon as it’s posted. Here’s where things get technical.

RSS Feeds

Do you know what RSS feeds are? Well to simplify it as much as I can, RSS feeds show the latest news, blogs, or message board posts as soon as they are publicly available. The “Top Headlines” on the People Connection page is just a simple list of RSS feeds displaying the latest post on message boards. Each time a person posts, AOL shows that topic. AOL members have pretty much hijacked a message board with topics unrelated to basketball.

So in conclusion, AOL isn’t really telling users to join Yahoo, they are just displaying posts from different message boards using RSS feeds. Since AOL users hijacked the Yahoo ACC message board, it appears as if AOL wants members to use Yahoo as their main message board. This of course is not the case.

Visitors also Read:

• AOL Message Boards back up
• AOL Message Board Closings Generates Frustration and Anger
• How to get the Old Yahoo Mobile News Back!
• Yahoo Web Messenger vs Aim Express
• Yahoo Messenger for Windows Vista