It has been a tough year for online video portal Joost, and things aren't likely to improve. The company launched last year with an innovative software client and built a decent catalog that included mainstream content. But now, Joost has announced that its less-capable website will be the only place to enjoy the company's content.

As of December 19, Joost's Windows and Mac software clients will cease to work, and instead will invite users to visit the company's site if they want to get access to its catalog of over 46,000 music videos, TV shows, movies, and short films. A recently release iPhone client will apparently continue to work.

Starting with its private beta launch in January 2007, Joost offered a unique spin on the video experience by allowing users to add various widgets and chat in real-time while watching mainstream programming, which included content from Comedy Central, CBS, and CNN.

In October, Joost announced a revamped Joost.com website, effectively writing an epitaph for the client software. Competition in the online video market has exploded in recent years, and Joost's catalog was eventually eclipsed by efforts like the NBC/Fox joint venture Hulu and its many competitors. Everyone from user-generated content king YouTube to individual network sites like ABC.com are getting into the mainstream online video business—soon even TV.com will be joining them.

Joost hasn't thrown in the towel yet, but the company needs to do something to catch the public's attention in an increasingly crowded market. The company may have an easier time making content deals now that its P2P-based software client is getting phased out, but that comes at a significant cost. The client's added value—mini-applications and a real-time community—were arguably the service's defining features.

One of Hulu's weakest areas is its lack of community, but TV.com is planning on filling that gap through its upcoming redesign, which will also mark the availability of mainstream content. If Joost wants to survive its rebirth as a web-based video portal, re-envisioning these features—and doing so ahead of the competition—will probably be one key to weathering the storm.