[9573] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Internet in a box
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter Deutsch)
Tue Jan 11 14:53:30 1994
From: Peter Deutsch <peterd@bunyip.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 1994 14:43:05 -0500
In-Reply-To: Dick St.Peters's message as of Jan 9, 18:09
To: <stpeters@dawn.crd.ge.com>, jrg@galloway.sj.ca.us
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
[ You wrote: ]
>
> > 2) Once the end user has this (or any other IP) capability what purpose
> > does the BBS serve?
>
> None, one hopes. (Well, I hope.)
I must disagree with these sentiments, since I think one
of the single largest business opportunities coming up in
the next couple of years will be in "packaging"
information for specific user communities. BBSs are to me
the canonical example of how to do this and I think they
have a healthy future as "windows onto the net". Not just
in providing connectivity, but in providing sorted,
collated and processed information.
Now, BBS operators do need to recognize the extra value
that exists in allowing users to "escape" to the net if
the specific info needed in not at hand, but Delphi has
certainly shown that providers can do that. Throw in lots
of customized collections of information on specific
topics around the net and you're off to the races.
Remember, users don't care about connectivity, protocols
or other wonders of technology. They want it to be easier
to find things. Sounds like the role of a sysop to me...
- peterd
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