More to the point ... Will AOL Drop ODP

Time-Warner is looking for a shake up

[Quadrille]

Interesting discussion on the likelihood of Google dropping the source of its directory listings; but what about ODP's paymasters?

The business pages show that patience is running out with AOL-Netscape's web policy (whatever that might be), as it has failed to add value to the conglomerate - or provide the expected promotion for CNN.com and other T-W web operations.

Arguably, ODP doesn't cost them a lot - but is it still a 'core activity' and does its 'open' tag make sense beside AOL's 'closed world' policy?

And if they do drop ODP, will anyone pick up the pieces?

[edit]probably the wrong forum - a Freudian slip, as I was thinking about the chances of Google picking up the tab, I mean service[/edit]

[martin]

>it has failed to add value to the conglomerate - or provide the expected promotion for CNN.com and other T-W web operations.

Netscape didn't own CNN at the time they started ODP so I don't think this is actually the sole purpose ODP exists.

What exactly have you heard about AOL Time Warner?

[choster]

We did have a thread recently about whether AOLTW's financial problems would lead it to stop funding ODP, [webmasterworld.com...] .

We've also had a recent thread on the future of directories [webmasterworld.com] in general.

[Quadrille]

The business pages in UK over last few days have given a fair bit of space to speculation not only about the financial issues (see other thread) but also the direction of the company.

Netscape didn't own CNN at the time they started ODP so I don't think this is actually the sole purpose ODP exists.

A lot has changed since Netscape bought ODP (they didn't start it), and the current board apparently are very disappointed in the failure of the promised 'synergy' that AOL/Netcape were going to bring to the table. While AOL itself has a dominant position, and is (just) profitable, the web content envisaged to support / promote / reflect the Time Warner products has failed to appear.

The board is expected to remove the remaining AOL members, and 'refocus' So the question is, to what extent does ODP "fit" the future Time-Warner-dominated conglomerate.

(That is, aside from whether they can afford it, or could sell at a profit)

[rfgdxm1]

>So the question is, to what extent does ODP "fit" the future Time-Warner-dominated conglomerate.

>(That is, aside from whether they can afford it, or could sell at a profit)

I can't imagine running the ODP is that expensive. Clearly it doesn't make any money and is a cost center. At best it helps improve the company image. If they wanted to get rid of the ODP, they couldn't get much money for it. The problem might be that nobdody wants it, and killing it off would be bad for their image.