Update from AOL's Calacanis on OpenRide

I just got an e-mail from Jason Calacanis about my post regarding the bundling of AOL Desktop Search in their new OpenRide integrated client which combines e-mail, browsing, instant messaging, and a media player. According to Jason, the desktop search component is being unbundled and was originally included to support the media player component.

I appreciate the personal response and the fact that AOL is open to this kind of feedback from bloggers. Given Jason's role in the development of the blogosphere, it comes as no surprise to me that he's listening and engaged. Kudos to AOL for being responsive to the concerns I and other bloggers have expressed and acting quickly to address them.

Disclosure: I wrote three blogs for Weblogs, Inc., the network Jason and Brian Alvey co-founded and which they sold to AOL last year, prior to joining ZDNet earlier this year.