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AOL Plans A Standalone Browser

Patik writes "America Online is creating its own standalone browser, aimed at employees who cannot install AOL software at their workstations. The browser will be based on Internet Explorer but will include other features such as tabbed browsing that displays a thumbnail of the page as you pass your cursor over it. The browser will also integrate AOL's media player and will be able to access AOL-only content."

21 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. In further news by blowdart · · Score: 5, Funny
    The browser will disabled the caps lock key.

    KEWL DUDE

    1. Re:In further news by DeathByDuke · · Score: 1, Funny

      it will also translate all words into l33t.

  2. handy dandy features by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does it have an automatic "A/S/L?" post button for forums?

  3. Redundant by Kipsaysso · · Score: 5, Funny

    The concept seems to be taking a bad Internet Provider and intergrating it with a bad Internet browser. Will probably be successful.

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  4. The browser will be based on Internet Explorer by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Funny
    aimed at employees who cannot install AOL software at their workstations. The browser will be based on Internet Explorer

    Good move. Make a brower for employees who can install AOL stuff on their computers out of the most vulnerable browser out there. Oh yea, system administrators are going to love this!

    --
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  5. Black eye for Microsoft by britneys+9th+husband · · Score: 5, Funny

    will include other features such as tabbed browsing

    Now even AOL will have a better browser than Microsoft.

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  6. LOL by bigberk · · Score: 2, Funny

    Way to go AOL, welcome to the party. What exactly did you do with Netscape (acquired in 1998 iirc)

  7. AOL should do this instead. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 3, Funny
    This is an excellent idea! Especially because employees who cannot install AOL software at their work are challenged to do so by BOFHs who give them mere user accounts, as opposed to the hallowed Administrator accounts that they, the BOFHs, use. Thus, the aforementioned employees against whom the BOFHs discriminate cannot install software.

    The question, then, is just how the devil do you expect these lusers to install other AOL software, such as a browser?!!!???????!!!!!!!!!!

    The answer, then, is not to create a new standalone browser, as AOL plans to do, but rather to create an Explorer plug-in that will install itself through the security holes that Microsoft has so thoughtfully installed in their software--the very same ones that allow hackers, crackers, cookies, 1337z h4x0rz, spyware, worms, viruses, spam, adware, malware, the RIAA, MPAA, and the anti-Christ himself to do anything with your computer that you cannot do, all while making the user interface so automatic and friendly that you, yourself, cannot access your own files, though these external users, programs, and entities can--to take control of the computer and place AOL software without the Administrator's permission.

    Yeah. That's a good idea.

  8. Re:I don't get it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Would somebody please explain how AOL thinks users who can't install the full AOL client on their workstations thanks to sysadmin-imposed policies will be able to get the AOL Browser installed?

    That's easy. The reason they picked IE as the base is obviously so they can exploit the IFRAME vulnerability to install their software. Brilliant!

  9. Obligatory Southpark quote by evilmeow · · Score: 2, Funny
    [...] aimed at employees who cannot install AOL software at their workstations[...]

    "Butters, GOD DAMNIT!"

  10. Difficult solution by Sivar · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why not...Oh, I don't know... Use Internet explorer? Build a plugin for the proprietary content.

    Or use Netscape for that matter; they do own the company.

    Talk about lack of focus.

    Why is it that so many failing companies insist on doing things the hard, expensive way? Or did I answer my own question?

    --
    Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. --E. W. Dijkstra
  11. In other news. by Renraku · · Score: 3, Funny

    AOL decides to stray farther and farther from the standard norm, taking the 'KISS' suggestion of software for granted.

    Not only is this new browser coming, but they've announced a special line of email programs that require their own processor to use. These processors are identical in every way to the Intel Pentium 4, except for they are underclocked to 100MHz, and are missing pins to make it incompatible with current hardware.

    AOL is also developing its own language, called AOLinguish, which will sound similar to Enlgish, but will be totally different in every way!

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  12. Oh they tried burning money... by SuperKendall · · Score: 1, Funny

    They tried burning money, but found that even pennies wouldn't catch after a few hours in a fire.

    That was of course after converting all the cash into coins so they would get more heat from the higher density...

    Just goes to show the brilliance of AOL planning.

    --
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  13. AOL is inafamous for it's speed... by dteichman · · Score: 2, Funny

    I bet this bloatware-IE-based browser will startup half as fast as IE, and have a 5x-10x speed reduction in loading times for web pages. So, it will be 3x-4x faster that 28.8k dial-up, so long as you have at least DSL-speed.

  14. Re:i hate AOL so much by geminidomino · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ahh, the old days of AOL 2.5.... I remember them fondley...

    No, that's not a misspelling of "fondly" ;)

  15. Re:HAW AOL LMFAOSDF by eofpi · · Score: 2, Funny

    We should all band together and find a good psychaitrist for AOL.

    Eliza should suffice.

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  16. After all these years... by kataflok · · Score: 5, Funny

    we finally have identified which company Dilbert was modeled upon... :-)

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  17. Re:HAW AOL LMFAOSDF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    They will go the way of compuserve
    AOL is going to buy itself out?
  18. Re:I don't get it... by Zemplar · · Score: 2, Funny

    "..AOL puts your Windows installation at considerable risk."

    So how is this different than the default install of Windows?

  19. Re:I don't get it... by jc42 · · Score: 3, Funny

    But can it ever escape the AOL user stigma?

    Maybe. I hear that they've removed the code that automatically sends the "Me to!" messages.

    --
    Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
  20. Re:I don't get it... by DrSkwid · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't work at all, do I have the last laugh?

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