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AOL Plans A Standalone Browser

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the tabulation-nation dept.

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."

7 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. I don't get it... by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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? Whatever policy stands against the AOL client will most likely shoot down this AOL Browser too. PHBs don't want people playing on the Internet during company time, and people are going to be hard pressed to show a business-reason to be accessing the AOL-exclusive entertainment content on company time and resources.

    This seems like at face value a project that won't reach its target audience and therefore is doomed to failure.

    1. Re:I don't get it... by Atrax · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well, that's not the only reason cited. there's another

      > And because broadband users get their Internet connection through a company other than AOL, they no longer need a software package that includes access tools.

      and as for the policies one, I guess they think that a 'thinner' client is more likely to pass due dilligence in order to be included in policies. after all, the standard client isn't engineered for that sort of environment, is it?

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    2. Re:I don't get it... by Wansu · · Score: 4, Insightful


      Whatever policy stands against the AOL client will most likely shoot down this AOL Browser too.

      Not only that but many companies don't want employees accessing pop email or web mail because they're afraid of viral payloads getting past their filters. Besides security, many companies don't want employees using streaming radio because it chews up bandwidth. AOL doesn't understand the problem.

      --
      Wansu, th' chinese sailor
    3. Re:I don't get it... by JPriest · · Score: 5, Insightful
      I bet they will still place something in startup. This seems to be the theme with almost any popular windows sofrware. Windows seems to be a constant battle of everyone vs Microsoft for as much user attention as possibe.

      PS. To set this post as your homepage click here (j/k)

      --
      Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
    4. Re:I don't get it... by Curtman · · Score: 5, Insightful

      after all, the standard client isn't engineered for that sort of environment, is it?

      But Netscape is, and they already own that. So now they're building a browser based on IE, and a media player independent of Winamp. What is wrong with these people?

  2. HAW AOL LMFAOSDF by __aavhli5779 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Some day I'm going to find the person responsible for making decisions at AOL and bludgen him with a blunt stick.

    AOL had a browser. In fact, they had a whole browser company. They chose to run it into the ground, like seemingly everything else they've touched. (Proper respect for at least funding Mozilla development, though)

    Now they plan to introduce a bloated IE shell (of which there are already several superior ones) with the intent of allowing their customers access to AOL's premium content. First of all, there is nothing left on AOL that the rest of the world would be particularly interested in. The global, public Internet has already won resoundingly against AOL's private little sanitized domain.

    And then they finish off with this bit of idiocy:


    That approach no longer makes sense, said Kerry Pearce-Parkins, director of AOL Product Management. For one, corporations generally prohibit their employees from installing software. That means many subscribers can't access AOL programming during the day.


    Clearly offerring another program to install will solve the "people can't install our software" problem.

    Why doesn't AOL at least work on improving their horrible web portal if they're so keen on getting people to access their worthless content? Oh that's right, they did... they made it all flash. How delightfully MODERN!

    What a worthless company. I bed Ted Turner still shits his pants daily thinking of the mistake he made merging with them. Everything AOL touches turns to shit.
  3. Why don't they just burn money? by Magickcat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is the best joke that I've heard all week. A company that owned Netscape and who manged to run it into the ground is planning on bringing out an IE variant browser.

    Why don't they just burn money - it would cut out the middle man.

    --

    Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.