Wired Pages-- AOL Advertising

I am considering establishing advertising rates for Wired Pages. I have had a bit of inquiry from local business about listings and this would provide a vehicle. Site content, of potential advertisers will have to be of a nature suitable for a general audience and able to fit in with one or more categories already existing on the service. Don't rush in to take advantage of this amazing deal just yet-- she says with a smile.

The problem is Wired Pages is hosted on the America Online (AOL) network. Wired Pages' server side applications are hosted on my business domain-- qisoftware.com, this includes the Wired Pages search engine. I have searched high and low for more specific information pertaining to AOL's Terms of Service (TOS) and whether or not members can put advertising information [rates] directly on an AOL page. Click the following to see AOL's Rules of User Conduct.

Item 4 under § 1 reads:

4. constitutes unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk e-mail (also known as "Spamming"), chain letters, any other form of unauthorized solicitation, or any form of lottery or gambling;

AOL has a Hometown Business Directory, teeming with home pages and online business cards of those AOL members that promote their businesses through this venue. Many of these home pages are storefronts for affiliate links or other business endeavors of the AOL entrepreneurial set. My site such as it is, is in keeping with this allowable promotional climate. At issue is whether I can place an advertising rate card directly on the AOL site, or will it have to be maintained elsewhere?

I will probably put the advertising rate information on a separate page on the QiSoftware.com site. This weblog and the pages on the main QiSoftware site will each have links to to the new information page. If anyone has a better understanding of the AOL terms of service I would love to hear from you... Telephones are useless instruments these days when it comes to contacting anyone for more information. I have other legal issues that I want addressed so I am looking into a lawyer. Oddly enough I have known a few socially but none with whom these issues can be addressed.

Another question some of you have asked-- Why is the site maintained on AOL?

Wired Pages is maintained on the AOL network because I like the environment that AOL offers the site. I am not a web or graphic designer. I am a software developer/engineer/consultant whichever you prefer and I do all of the work myself. Most think the site should have a more professional appearance. The site was developed to promote my software tools not to show off my nonexistent talent as a graphic artist. I do not want people to be confused by what it is I do. I develop software.

Can an AOL maintained site command an advertising audience?
We shall see...