Re: Usenet, ISP's, and On-Line Services

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Todd P. Whitesel writes ...
> 
> Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes:
> 
> >     Could the Apple II world exist without a usenet newsgroup? I doubt
> >it. We have no print publication of any size, most users depend upon a
> >PC for net access, and most see no reason to spend money to subscribe to
> >an on-line service. Without Csa2, there is no center.
> 
> Translation: most users who pay for a 'true' ISP see no reason to spend
> _more_ money to be part of an online service.

     Not exactly. The cost of a good ISP is about the same as, say,
joining AOL. The reason users end up leaving on-line services is that
they can get better, faster net access via a "'true' ISP".


> 
> For many people on on-line services, that service _is_ their ISP.

     Yes; probably this is true of most people using an on-line service.

 ....

> 
> It is far more likely that usenet will be replaced by a truly workable > form of distributed on-line bulletin board service, than that on-line > services will die out because of customers jumping ship to usenet. Far > more likely.


     Big on-line services such as AOL are likely to do well for some
time to come. AOL can advertise and people new to the net like the
'everything put together' package AOL offers.

     Naturally, usenet will change. There are already many free sites
with graphics and other fun features for posting and chatting about all
sorts of things. A down side of these sites is that they tend to lack
stability. Usenet is stable, established with thousands of ISP's, and
able to add pizzazz features as required.

     Small on-line services are the ones in a bind. With so much free to
net users, what do small on-line services have to offer?

 

Rubywand