The control aspect which has been a given in the online services'
administration of cyberspace is giving way to the torrent of unbridled
communication via mailing lists, newsgroups, and other Internet mediums....
Sure, these avenues have been open for some time, but it is only at this
point in time that so many different access routes have been available to the
general public. Universal 800 number web access, with easy loading auto
configure diskette TCP/IP packages have changed the game.
CI$ and AOHell (apologies to the timid; I'm a member too ;-) )
Will continue to find friction in their relationship with the Internet.
It is anathema to their corporate cultures, however freewheeling they may have
been or are currently. Compuserve has neatly sidestepped the crux of the issue
of their debate w/ Mr. Wallace and PromoEnt, despite the fact that many members
such as myself are upset. (Check out the PromoEnt web page). The thing that
upsets me is that CI$ has terriffic technical capability in every area. The CI$
software is great, they developed a terriffic CD-Rom companion to the service,
great Internet access -- so why do they choose to scrap it out on this one? As
far as control over the information goes, somebody please tell them they've
already lost that battle...just be the best online service in the world, like
you already are, and don't sweat the little stuff. My mailbox is already
stuffed full of ads and marketing blurbs and get-rich-quick and everything else.
I *asked* for it -- lemme enjoy it!! <s>
Again, I roughly paraphrase Mr. Gilder when I say that the microcosm and
its rules will prevail. The Hacker Ethic has a way of fighting back against
draconian policies and attitudes. Just ask anyone fighting the software
"Pirates" of the mid-80's. Remember the "security dongle"? The software
companies wanted you to put a hardware 'cartridge key' in a port of your
machine, or the app wouldn't work? Silly -- look at the price Apple has paid
for the failure to license its OS...although _this_ line of argument gets me
into "bsd v. sysv" or "vi v. emacs" territory...<ducking and running>
Does anyone else see the irony in all of this? Its almost as if the big
boys are lining up to fight a battle that was already fought -- someone tell the
troops to break camp and go home...
Take Care,
-Paul
=============================
The Internet's Best Kept T-Shirt Secret!!
<a href="<a href="http://www.siege.com">http://www.siege.com</a>">http://www.siege.com</a>
=============================
----
This week's sponsor:
Marketing to Women Online Conference &lt;<a href="<a href="http://www.kelseygroup.com/kelsey">http://www.kelseygroup.com/kelsey</a>">http://www.kelseygroup.com/kelsey</a>&gt;
Talk with Dave Taylor, TONIGHT! Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern
over the Internet using GlobalStage/GlobalChat software. See
&lt;<a href="<a href="http://www.popco.com/hyper/internet-marketing/chat.html">http://www.popco.com/hyper/internet-marketing/chat.html</a>">http://www.popco.com/hyper/internet-marketing/chat.html</a>&gt; for details
Post a message to this group by filling in the form below.