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All the advice there still stands. I have AOL and other ISPs on the same computer - it can be done, especially if you don't use the ISP's software but just dial-up to the connection number they offer.
Whichever ISP you pay for, their tech support should be able to guide you through any difficulties. AOL is now offering a Netscape brand ISP service as a "no frills" alternative at a lower price and I'd bet there's little compatibility trouble there.
You've usually got to pay someone, somehow, for decent service. But if you do a search on "free ISP" and "cheap ISP" you will find some options.
If your household stays with AOL, you can still connect to AOL and then launch a different browser - you're not stuck with the AOL browser just because you use AOL's services to get a connection.