[9239] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
re: an Internet buying coop?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Larry Walker)
Fri Dec 24 20:09:32 1993
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 93 19:08:23 CST
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: walkerl@med.ge.com (Larry Walker)
>From: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein)
>Subject: an Internet buying coop?
>
>
<comments on "you get what you pay for" deleted>
>
>I've often said on these lists that the problem, if there is one, with
>the net is not the cost, but the (perception of) value. There are few
>people in this country who are likely to make use of the nets (e.g.
>have PC's and modems and wherewithal) yet can't shell out the
>$20/month or thereabouts for an account.
Barry:
While overall I agree with your comments to the effect that if you want to
do business, you have to be prepared for the Cost of Doing Business, I
think your comment about $20/mo access is the heart of the issue.
As far as I can tell, most $20/mo offers for Internet access are for Unix
command-line access. In most parts of the country (like where I live), if I
want true IP access then the cost is >> $20/mo. And it often requires a
phone call to another LATA or state. The realistic price for those of us
not located in CA or NY or DC seems to look more like $100-200/mo.
The point I want to make is that I no longer consider a Unix cmd-line
interface an adaquate way to access the Net, especially in the context of
new and naive users. Are you really advocating that my local Small Business
Person should start using 'mail' or 'rn' to access the Net? I'm not willing
to put up with that myself, let alone wish it on beginners, now I've used
Eudora and NewsWatcher instead...
So claims of $20/mo Internet access begin to feel an awful lot like bait &
switch when you look closely at what is being offered. And $100/mo+ is not
going to attract a sizable fraction even of those with the PCs already in
their homes.
I think this is what drives the "let's set up a cheap access provider" folks...
Larry Walker
System Architect email: walkerl@med.ge.com
GE Medical Systems phone: 414.785.8262
P.O. Box 414 / NB-902 fax: 414.785.4331
Milwaukee, WI 53201 dialcomm: 8*322-8262
