AOL Launches Free OpenRide Software

AOL on Wednesday officially launched OpenRide, the successor to the company's aging software client that will serve as the cornerstone of AOL's transition from ISP to Web services provider. But can OpenRide help the company revamp its image and usher in a new, free AOL?

During its heyday as the world's largest Internet service provider counting close to 40 million users, AOL released new versions of its software for members like clockwork, ratcheting up the version number and appending new features each year.

But as subscribers continue their mass exodus from dial-up to cable or DSL, AOL has been struggling to overhaul its image and attract consumers that have flocked to online services offered by Google and Microsoft. In turn, the company has focused its efforts on browser-based offerings much like its rivals, launching a new AOL.com and a number of services along with it.

As a result of this dismantling of AOL's so-called "walled garden," the company's core software has stagnated, further exacerbating the growing tide of customer defections. The last major AOL Client upgrade, version 9.0, came in July 2003, with a minor update bolstering security in November 2004.

AOL hopes OpenRide will be the answer for keeping current customers using the company's services even after they have canceled their memberships, as well as attracting new users into the AOL fold. The software has been designed specifically for broadband users and comes after a year-long research and development effort with thousands of beta testers.

OpenRide's roots extend even further back than that. Communicator, "Fanfare" and AOL Suite were all developed for a similar purpose over the last six years, but eventually fell by the wayside due to indecisiveness within the company.

But in an interview with BetaNews last week, AOL Executive Vice President Joel Davidson stated that AOL was finally "moving off one client platform for another." OpenRide has been built from the ground up using the same architecture that powers AIM Triton, which offers a vastly reduced footprint of just 30 megabytes.

OpenRide is split into four quadrants: AOL Mail, AIM instant messaging, the AOL Explorer browser, and a media center. Each can be shifted around and maximized within the application's Window through a "Dynasizer" feature. The idea is to enable users to access a variety of service without jumping between multiple windows.

The media center links up to the e-mail and IM applications, offering a single place to view digital pictures, video and music. While users can access their own media, OpenRide will also provide instant access to select content such as videos and radio stations from AOL's Web site. Video can even be expanded out of the software and viewed in full-screen.

Users will not need to sign-in to use OpenRide (except when logging into AIM), and the application is all-inclusive, requiring only a single download. AOL has additionally built-in "fast start" functionality much like that used by Mozilla's Firefox Web browser.

Despite this level of integration, AOL has not designed OpenRide to lock-in users. Speaking to the company's newfound push for openness, the version of AOL Mail in OpenRide supports not only the company's own inboxes, but also accounts from other providers. Only POP e-mail accounts are compatible, but IMAP support is planned for a future update.

AOL also plans to open up the OpenRide platform for third party applications in the next 6 to 12 months, Davidson told BetaNews. The company intends to "aggressively move in that direction with both big and small partners," much like AOL has done with its Open AIM initiative.

Safety plays a major role in OpenRide as well. AOL's Safety and Security Center utility is built-into the software, along with standard phishing and spyware protection. Integration with AOL's upcoming Total Care PC protection solution is additionally in the works, although the company gave no timetable as to when it would occur.

While OpenRide will be the primary client software for AOL moving forward, the company is not ready to rid itself of AOL 9.0 just yet. According to Davidson, 40 percent of customers still use the older client, which amounts to 80 percent of the company's total pageviews - and, thus, the vast majority of its advertising revenue.

OpenRide does have one advertising block under the AOL Mail quadrant, but the software is far less intrusive than its predecessor. AOL acknowledges that forcing ads down consumers' throats will only keep them away, at a time when it needs all the new users it can get.

But a forced upgrade from 9.0 would bring about a substantial loss of revenue for the company. In turn, AOL plans to release what it calls a "Vista Ready" version of AOL 9.0 later this year. It includes no other new features aside from compatibility with Microsoft's new operating system.

Ironically, AOL 9.0 will be compatible with Vista before OpenRide. The current release of the software works only on Windows XP, with Vista support planned for the first half of next year. OpenRide will work over dial-up, but the software has been optimized for broadband users.

Download AOL OpenRide from FileForum and tell us what you think below.