Although the software still exists, there will be no server for anyone to log into except the 2.1 servers starting mid-September.
Registration is free.
So far Excite has promised to keep VP free for its users indefinitely. Requires MSIE on your machine even if you designate Netscape as your default browser. AOL VP 2.1 . . . There has been no announcement of charging for this service, however AOL has, in their small print of terms of service, retained the right to charge for using VP 2.1 in the future on their servers. This may not be a good thing in the long run.