SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : America On-Line: will it survive ...?
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Don Knowlton who wrote (1)8/9/1996 1:54:00 PM
From: Art Stone   of 13594
 
I've experimented with six Internet Providers..
I was one of those "heavy users" on AOL. My AOL bill for 1995 was over $3000. AOL has some strengths - the comprehensive keyword searchable software library, AOL chat is technically superior to Internet Relay Chaos, and the overall integration of the software is a benefit to new users.

Having said that, I've come to the conclusion that the days of a Nationwide online service (ISP or otherwise) are numbered. The Reason? The nature of the Internet itself. The Internet was designed to survive the loss of a substantial part of the network - and so is highly decentralized. It just makes no sense to build an entire country-wide series of POP's to funnel all the traffic into a central computer center, and then disburse the traffic back out onto the Internet. Wednesday, AOL got a wakeup call about the inherent danger of having a single point of failure.

Infi-Net is my guess of what a national ISP might look like if any of them survive. Infinet has centralized the technical support and business functions, but the POPs are farmed out to local people (many are newspapers) who do the marketing, and keep the phones and modems working..

artstone@kode.net
Ready to Leave AOL? Take the Quiz and see. kode.net
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News