I tried AOL Steamliner/OpenRide just yesterday and it packs some hefty requirements like 230mb of RAM.
For most that is nothing,but for notebook and laptop owners we often get only 256mb.
But it worked,and ran very well.
There was the usual AOL Explorer,AIM Triton,and AOL Radio/Video. Nothing I haven't tried.
But having them all as one application is a good thing.
And it is is more a broadband app then dialup.
I think they should call it AOL Broadband Wave instead of OpenRide.
Hopefully they'll pick that up.
I also hope a Mac OS X client is ready soon.
I like having all of AOL's features on the desktop from time to time when I want the AOL experience.
I hate loading on thing after the other,so this is nice although bloated.

And about AOL's malware,you can uninstall those extras and delete the icons from your machine.
Also they won't slow down your computer unless they are running duh!
How can an installed appp slow down a computer just being installed? Get more hardrive space people.
It's just an extra app that AOL thinks you may like if you use AOL 9.0.
I find that AOL for OS X lacks all the added apps as does most other free-standing apps from AOL.
OpenRide just adds AOL Desktop Search and AIM to it's download. It's needed to run it.

rla,you are talking about the Free AOL and AOL 9.0 seems like. Not OpenRide.
And alot of n00bs to the ISP/service will ned that.
You can't beat free. What more do you want?
They have AOL Music,Video,Journals,chats,ect. What more content do you need dude?

I installed this bloated package.

First they ask for all kinds of personal info and second if you want to close your free account you have to either write a snail mail letter, fax or phone.

Second, Other than the cartoon style GUI, it doesn't seem to me that you get much access to to anything that would make AOL rise above the experience that just surfing the internet provides. Perhaps if they would take some of those man hours they waste on that goofey software and use them to create substantive content they would have something. To me the experience was pretty much a waste of time.

I will give them credit for the untilities, spyware and virus software, but who doesn't already have these types of applications?

My impression is that the party is over for AOL.

Open ride > Snakes on a Plane, beating it by leaps and bounds as worst title for anything, ever.

I think you will see the new AOL to some nice things in the next few months. Not to be a homer, but I have seen where the company is headed and there is plenty of potential. Like all large corps... there will likely be more mistakes, but in this market risk is part of the equation. The press has not been kind to AOL... and granted the company has been less than cutting edge (OK maybe asleep at the wheel) for the last 8 years or so, but it is changing and fast. Try the ap. It is a bit slow at the moment, but four aps in one and a beta, you might expect as much.

Wouldn't OpenRide imply a DUN connection giving us the freedom to use what ever software we want?

AnotherOnlineLamer.. isn't that how it goes. :)

AOL still exists? Seriously, I thought this company died in the 90s.

Open casket?

I downloaded the free AOL because i have a DSL connection and made a bad mistake AOL took over my computer. I took it all out but stuff remained on the computer had to do a Factory Restore then finally it was gone.

A factory restore? Most folks know that a restore point is a good idea before a download. Furthermore, I don't believe AOL took over your computer and I doubt many others do either. Try another line.

WASTE OF TIME AOL is crapola

All Aboard!!! OpenVirusRide to migraines, curse town, and hades now departing.

Nothing says quality like AOL!

OH, you will be taken for a RIDE alright...LOL

So you have used the Open Ride software I take it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if the have actually tried it. If not you are wasting yours and my time. If your clue is only about previous versions of AOL, the your clue is outdated.

I need only to take one look at the screen shot and recognize immediately that this version is no different than previous versions.

Compare the % of real estate dedicated to advertising and sponsors content to % of actual application real estate.

Even Google has requirements on ad space on partners "free," applications.

If we're wasting your time why don't you go post somewhere else then?

"It shocks me that people see fit to run down the product, when they have no clue about it and refuse to try it to give an honest review of the software"

ooooh i have a clue ,been there done that and will never do it again.

It shocks me that people see fit to run down the product, when they have no clue about it and refuse to try it to give an honest review of the software. If they had used it and then gave constructive views on the product, I would see value in their posts. But I see no value and find it very rude to call people names, when you have no clue what you are talking about. Therefore I will download the program and test it myself. Then at least I will be fully informed, before letting you know what I really feel about the software.

AOL's has a LONG history of poorly coded and OS destroying software that engulfs the user into AOL's version of the web so far that they don't really know what the World Wide Web is.

As a former 3rd party IT provider for over 600 individuals and corporations I have run into my fair share of "The AOL Virus," and can confidently say that it's all CRAPWARE, and see no improvements in this current version.

Previous versions could not be uninstalled from a Windows OS as it would corrupt the OS to the point that it wouldn't boot. Even their most recent versions don't completely uninstall.

OK! this program sucks to me. The regular all in one client is better. You don't get any of the other features that you get with the client and it's stupid to have 4 things opened at once. Instead of renaming it, they need to trash it.

By the way, AOL has stepped it up alot. I've been using it for the past 2 months and I love it. I also have AOL Music Now which is Awesome!!!

Way to go, AOL!

Trash the OpenRide project though.

Ignoring the two negative comments (and more yet to come), this program's great. I like it.

@ BetaBryce:

Do you really want us to fall for this after all the blunders that AOL has made over the years. AOL rightfully falls under the category of malware or badware as you may want to call it. I am not sure why it took so long for such a definition being assigned to AOL and almost all its products.

I myself have been a victim of unnecessary bloated and multiple program installations when I intended to only install just 1 single program. AOL routinely installs bunch of icons on the desktop and favorites and other unnecessary stuff without asking or providing prompts for the same.

There is no doubt in my mind that for the large part, AOL software should certainly be labeled as malware/badware and should be treated as such.

Have you even checked to see how many programs this installation includes?

Please tell us what these "bunch of icons" and "unnecessary stuff" are that you cannot simply get rid of. A retry icon certainly isn't unnecessary, is it? And please don't tell us that other ISP's don't do the same.

I see little point in using this thing. Why would I need to? I imagine just like their 9.0 client install it installs 8 different programs that slow down your computer and are just plain annoying and not really necessary. AOL client was great back in 1998 when the Internet was a mystery to most people and they needed a little help. But now days almost who is interested has a computer and a t least knows someone who knows them well enough to educate and teach them.

So sorry AOL, I have no doubt you will be dust in the wind within 5 years. There is just too much competition and you guys stays on the horse too long and it's too late to jump off before it takes the jump off the cliff.

The saddest thing is they have their beta center engineers advertising it in the forums now. either betabrace is getting paid to post in forums now or he is worried about his job. Better jump ship before your fired betabrace.

Actually he's simply encouraging folks to check out the program and AOL's new beta site. That is what his job is as a beta coordinator.

The software doesn't install 8 different programs and has received good reviews from folks who have used it. Why not give it a try before jumping to conclusions?

If it's not for you, then it's not for you, but some people, especially those using AOL Mail and AIM, will likely find it very useful.

If you'd like see a tour of OpenRide, download the software, or give feedback, please visit the AOL OpenRide Beta site at http://beta.aol.com/projects.php?project=openride

BetaBryce@aol.com
AOL Beta Team

Be sure to have a large glass of wine with your pills.

@BetaBryce you rated your own companies product 5, you suck.

If you'd like to get malware and seriously screw up your computer, download OpenRide.

AOL will/has been grounded into dust.
BetaBryce will lose his job, its only a matter of time.