If you do not want to make the registry edit an alternative is to try a different web browser called Flock that supports AOL as the default email application.
I tried your advice about making aol webmail your default mailto client. I modified my registry.
Now when i try to email a document from within the document "file" menu, it says sorry, please use outlook express. so i know it's not happy with what i did.
I know how to change it back, so that's not a problem.
i'm wondering if you are available to answer a couple of questions, so i can see if i did it correctly.