I remember the good ol’ days.
 
Back when I would hurry up with my homework after school so I could fire up the family computer to play games and surf websites on the super awesome America Online.
 
I still remember the sound the computer would make as it was connecting to AOL — the warming computer-generated “Welcome!” and “You’ve got mail!” would put a smile on my face every time I’d sign on.
 
That was 1998.
 
In 2010, AOL is — for some reason only known to God — still around. And somehow I still use it for one of my e-mail addresses (I made it in 8th grade, get off my back).
 
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari have dominated PC and Mac users alike. All three browsers offer more features and are vastly superior to the dinosaur that is America Online.
 
Needless to say, AOL hasn’t aged well over the past few years, and AOL’s CEO Tim Armstrong knows it.
 
“Web pages haven’t looked any different in 15 years. They look like they were created by people in Silicon Valley with engineering backgrounds who happen to be mostly male,” the former Google executive said in an interview with the Daily Front Row.
 
Armstrong also went on to say, “If you dropped down to planet Earth for the first time today and saw how pervasive the Web was, you’d expect it to be the most beautiful and elegantly designed experience in the world. But it’s not.”
 
Those are some pretty strong words for the head of a falling former juggernaut.
 
While AOL used to be the king back during the days of dial-up, in the current times of broadband, cable and 3G, they’re sinking faster than my IQ while watching “Jersey Shore.”
 
Last year, the Washington Post reported AOL’s revenue had fallen 20 percent to $4.2 billion and was forced to cut worldwide labor by nearly 30 percent in 2007 and 2008.
 
However, Armstrong and AOL refuse to go down without a fight.
 
Armstrong wants AOL to become “a well-designed and styled version of the Internet.” He claims “one of the things that we’ve brought back to the company in the past few years is a sincere focus on creativity.”
 
When asked how Armstrong and team plan to do that, the CEO says they’re working with some of the most creative people on the planet to help “redesign the Internet.”
 
And who does Armstrong think are among the greatest minds on the planet?
 
The Jonas Brothers, of course.
 
Yes, you read that correctly. AOL and the Jonas Brothers are teaming up to help redesign the Internet.
 
What? No love for Bieber?
 
Last summer, Nick, Kevin and Joe launched Cambio.com as a part of the AOL “teens network” which includes original online content from the band (and I use that term lightly) and news and announcements from other people today’s teens are interested in.
 
The first time I stumbled upon this announcement, I did a double take to make sure what I read was real — and unfortunately it is.
 
Obviously, the brothers’ work on Cambio has impressed big wigs up at AOL to help them join the creative team to make the Internet “better.”
 
Regrettably for the brothers Jonas, this is nothing but a final gimmicky attempt for a company overstaying its welcome.
 
AOL is dead. And while I feel sorry for those employed by the company who will eventually lose their jobs, it’s time to move on.
 
The layout of the Internet has been the same for so long because there is nothing wrong with it.
 
Some of the most popular and most usable websites like Wikipedia, Craigslist and Google have little to no design at all.
 
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the Internet doesn’t need fixing.
 
But who knows, I could be completely wrong, and in a few years you could be reading this column on a completely Jona-fied Internet.
 
Also, pigs will be flying, and Les Miles will understand clock management.
 
Adam Arinder is a 21-year-old communication studies senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on  Twitter @TDR_aarinder.
 
 
 
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Contact Adam Arinder at [email protected]