AOL OpenRide
Encyclopedia
AOL OpenRide was an Internet application suite made by AOL
that combined e-mail
, instant-messaging
, a web browser
and a media player in one window. Anyone could download it for free, but to make maximum use of the software you needed to sign in with an AOL or AIM screenname.
The main program interface was divided into 4 mini-windows, called panes:
•The People pane enabled users to sign into the AOL Instant Messenger
service to display the user's buddy list and ongoing conversations.
•The E-mail pane was a standard email client. It was not restricted to just AOL email, but allowed users to add email accounts from other providers.
•The web browser pane ran AOL Explorer
, which used the Trident
rendering engine but 'enhanced' it with tabbed browsing and other features.
•The media pane provided access to AOL's collection of videos, the Radio@AOL service, and featured a media player for files on the user's local hard drive.
In late May 2007, after being available for less than 6 months, AOL took down access to download AOL OpenRide on their official download page but continued to support it on help page.
In late July 2007, news broke that AOL OpenRide was to be replaced by "AOL Helix". Helix was then renamed to AOL Desktop
, which incorporates most of AOL OpenRide's feature. However, key features were missing such as the Dynasizer, along with the multi-pane layout, and OpenRide's Media Center which incorporated AOL's desktop search, pictures, music, files, XM Radio, new feeds, and a flash player. As of December 2007, users of OpenRide are no longer able to log into the AOL network with the OpenRide application to use Email/IM, you are immediately logged off and referred to the download page of AOL Desktop. The only feature that still works is the web browser.
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
that combined e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, instant-messaging
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
, a web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
and a media player in one window. Anyone could download it for free, but to make maximum use of the software you needed to sign in with an AOL or AIM screenname.
•The People pane enabled users to sign into the AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
service to display the user's buddy list and ongoing conversations.
•The E-mail pane was a standard email client. It was not restricted to just AOL email, but allowed users to add email accounts from other providers.
•The web browser pane ran AOL Explorer
AOL Explorer
AOL Explorer, previously known as AOL Browser, is a graphical web browser based on the Microsoft Trident layout engine and was released by AOL. In July 2005, AOL launched AOL Explorer as a free download and as an optional download with AIM version 5.9. AOL Explorer supports tabbed...
, which used the Trident
Trident (layout engine)
Trident is the name of the layout engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer.It was first introduced with the release of Internet Explorer version 4.0 in October 1997; it has been steadily upgraded and remains in use today...
rendering engine but 'enhanced' it with tabbed browsing and other features.
•The media pane provided access to AOL's collection of videos, the Radio@AOL service, and featured a media player for files on the user's local hard drive.
In late May 2007, after being available for less than 6 months, AOL took down access to download AOL OpenRide on their official download page but continued to support it on help page.
In late July 2007, news broke that AOL OpenRide was to be replaced by "AOL Helix". Helix was then renamed to AOL Desktop
AOL Desktop
AOL Desktop is an internet suite produced by AOL that integrates a web browser, a media player and an instant messenger client. It is a revised version of AOL OpenRide. The Mac OS X version is based on WebKit....
, which incorporates most of AOL OpenRide's feature. However, key features were missing such as the Dynasizer, along with the multi-pane layout, and OpenRide's Media Center which incorporated AOL's desktop search, pictures, music, files, XM Radio, new feeds, and a flash player. As of December 2007, users of OpenRide are no longer able to log into the AOL network with the OpenRide application to use Email/IM, you are immediately logged off and referred to the download page of AOL Desktop. The only feature that still works is the web browser.