AOL Open Sourcing Audio & Video Technology

daria24 writes "BetaNews says that AOL is open sourcing Winamp AVS and Milkdrop, two popular Winamp plug-ins, and its Ultravox streaming media platform (the successor to Shoutcast). 'Despite helping to launch the Mozilla Foundation and releasing the code to its AOL Server software, America Online has never been synonymous with open source. But a number of new initiatives could change AOL's proprietary image, as the company strives to reach a broader audience on the open Web.' The next-generation AIM release will also be an open platform, which AOL says 'could rival even Mozilla due to its scale and the massive AIM user base.'"

Does it really matter?

[Elecore]

'The next-generation AIM release will also be an open platform, which AOL says 'could rival even Mozilla due to its scale and the massive AIM user base.' It could rival in pure numbers, but I'd bet that MOST AOL users don't really understand or care what open source is. Most people who do stay clear of AOL to begin with.

Ah AOL...

[DrXym]

AOL is run by a bunch of geniuses. I've never seen a company that can invest millions in technologies such as browsers, music & video players, only to shitcan their (superior) solutions in favour of (inferior) ones developed by their main competitors.

I just look at WinAmp and shake my head. There's a programme that could have been iTMS before such a thing even existed. It could still be iTMS rival now, two years too late. And the integrated NSV means it could deliver TV and VOD too with a little work. So why the hell isn't it?

Because AOL is run by a bunch of geniuses.

Re:Does it really matter?

[dcclark]

Not to mention that the "open platform" actually consists of letting some outside developers license certain aspects of AIM and its protocols. In particular, there will be some sort of plug-in architecture -- so no chance of getting better access to the protocols for 3rd party use. They aren't actually doing much "opening up," so much as making more business opportunities for themselves.

where's the aol client for linux then?

[Anonymous Coward]

So ok, AOL is all 'bout open source now. Then why is it there is no official aol client for linux?

My mother uses aol, and I have to spend ages fixing security issues in windows and generally keeping it going. I'd far rather she used Linux for the web, she'd be safe from 99% of all web exploits, and it would make admin easier for me. Plus I wouldn't have to keep cleaning up all the garbage windows collects on her system.

It took long enough to get her on the web, weaning her from aol is not something I can do. The simplest solution by far is for aol to have native linux support (note, I mean official support, not the linux aol dialer projects)

hi i am aol

[demon411]

aol head: "hey i don't think spamming people aol cds is working anymore what can we do?"

"let's buy netscape"

AOL buys them and now AOL has a deal with Microsoft for using IE.

later ...

aol head: "hmm that didn't work what should we do now?"

"umm. how about buy winamp for 100 million dollars"

Justin Frankel (winamp creator) resigns

5 years later ...

aol head: "we are still broke, whatever happened to that winamp stuff we bought?"

"um we are working on some cool plugins! hey maybe we could make it open source! i hear mozilla is doing well and they are open source"

aol head: "good idea, we can make aim open source too"

Re:Huh?

[Queer Boy]

Just so you young whippersnappers remember, AOL was the reason there's a consumer internet AT ALL! The existence of AOL and its massive userbase was the impetus for improving the usability of things like WWW, Usenet and e-mail.

Did you think you could always point and click your way across the internet?