After about 7 months full time on the Net, I've accessed your Dave Net
exposition and find it very well written - thoughful. A wonderful
contribution, not to mention - I guess, your Frontier scripting language.
So you can evaluate "where I am coming from", my background puts me
squarely in the neophyte category. I'm a business user whose company -
alas, not mine - in January of 96 got a 56K connection. I've been doing a
sales catalog for Story House for the last 8 years on Apple equipment. A
classic user, if you will allow the notion that DTP put Apple in the
business game. The Mac wiped out the unique pre-press front ends and now it
has bulldog grip on the publishing niche. I'm one of those dogs that bite
if I feel it is them or me because I know what I'm doing - or at least
think I do - using Mac stuff and am loath to figure out all the ins and
outs using Microsoft/Intel stuff.
So, as opposed to a developers perspective - yours, I have a user's
perspective. Part of the business mission is to figure out how we can, to
put it crassly, make money off this stuff. So far, it seems that the people
who own the wire, the people who provide connections to the wire, the
people who provide the software that makes the computers work over the wire
are in a good position to make money because they know what the business
model is. Everyone else, I believe, is in the dark.
But, anyone who has connected can see the business possibilities. At the
moment, it pops into my mind that doing a substantial business over the net
is in some ways analogos to the paperless office! It is a matter of habit.
Paper is so... real. You can touch it and feel it. Put it down and pick it
up. The words don't change. Paper is friendly. And, it is the ultimate in
catering to the passive prospect. On the other hand, that is part of the
problem. Furthermore, reading stuff on the screen is terrible. It is WORK!
There is a place for selling/distribution on the net, but like pouring new
wine into old skins, it won't work that way.
And finally, it is a matter of the mass market. Most of my friends at home
couldn't be less interested. Yet, isn't that what was said of the phone?
Who needs it? Further, why on earth do I need a computer at home? I work
with one all day long!
I guess I'm an armchair strategist at this point and find your thoughts on
Dave Net very welcome. thanks
Paul White
Story House Corp
Bindery Lane
Charlotteville, NY 12036
PreBound Paperback Books since 1951
Quality - Durability - Economy
Phone: (800) 847-2105
Fax: (607) 397-8725
Web:
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eMail via Maya, a very special Cyberdog - product of Apple Corp.
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ps. I can understand why Microsoft is leary of Intel: most of MSoft's
installed base run on Iintel - only Intel. Does Intel need Microsoft? And
Cisco - well, they are the dominant Net hardware provider: routers,
switches?- I'm not sure about switches. Anyway, why they would be afraid of
Cisco is a bit more of a strech for me. How could they beat up on MSoft?
DAVE NET