OK, yes, the email and the ISP are optional...but they're making sound like people who sign up and pay for this WILL have an advantage. Whether that's true is to be determined, I guess. That's one thing. Having neomail or the ISP and paying for it won't guarantee no glitches -- nothing can. The ISP is not part of the site, it's a separate company and a separate thing. What it will probably do is make some people think that because they're now paying for something, that it WILL make the site work better and they'll get things back if there's a glitch. Don't think so.
Scams are already being perpetrated using the @neomail.com by people who got their hands on the trial and are sending emails to people who didn't know there was such a thing, claiming to be part of the new Premium Neopets and telling them that they've been selected to participate, but they do need their information to be able to.
And why, when you have email with your current ISP, yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc. would you pay $40 a year for a web-based email? It's cool to have an email that's @neomail.com? I think the novelty would wear off quickly, we don't know how secure it is (most web-based email services are not very secure).
The ISP...well, it's dial up. I don't know about all this compressed stuff, but if it's anything like the aol topspeed and other dial-ups that claim to be faster - they aren't. Yes, the $15.95 is cheaper than many, but again, what security features are there? Or do you have to d/l the toolbar to get any added features (pop up blocker, etc.). The biggest thing I have against this whole ISP is this:
taken from SierraRaven's post in Neopets Toolbar topic (thank you again SierraRaven!):
Quote:
Quote:
No Confidentiality
Information transmitted through Provider and through the Internet in general is not confidential. Provider can not and shall not guarantee privacy or protection of any User. Provider reserves the right to monitor any User's transmissions when deemed necessary for providing proper service and/or to protect the rights and property of Provider.
Customer Information
Unless required by court order, subpoena or other legal request, or upon the advice of counsel, Provider may publish User's name and other consumer information in one or more directories that may be accessed by other Internet users. In addition, unless User notifies Provider to the contrary as provided above, Provider may make such information available to third parties from time to time. User understands further that merchants on the Internet may have access to such information and may make it available to third parties in accordance with their normal practices unless User notifies those merchants directly that User does not wish such information to be made available.
Emphasis (bold, underline) added.
Note that it's the Provider who's protected, NOT the user. Note also that user names and other information can be made public. This is child-safe? Or safe for anyone for that matter? Is that something you want to pay for for yourself or your children?
Speaking of, how are children supposed to get these without getting their parents to agree to fork over their credit card and other information?
The Portal is a whole 'nother matter. If people like that and want to use it, great. There's no download, no fee involved.
The toolbar? Like I said before, I don't like downloadable toolbars, my Spybot went berserk the last time I downloaded one of those, and that was only because I was trying to get the latest Shockwave -- they include Yahoo toolbar automatically now. And yes, Macromedia did get a letter from me about that little trick.
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<-- By Silja
I'm (or was) an alpha tester for the Neopets Portal, and I loved it. But I wouldn't PAY for it. 
