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Strategies & Market Trends : Gorilla Game Investing in the eWorld -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: William who wrote (140)	9/6/1999 6:59:00 PM
From: J Gunn	Respond to of 1817

For what it's worth, I am a MSN.com user and consider myself almost as clueless. I just want it to work. Maybe that is why there are so many AOL users.

To: William who wrote (140)	9/6/1999 7:43:00 PM
From: Mike Buckley	Respond to of 1817

It may not be true that most AOL users are clueless but could still be true that most clueless are AOL users. My take on all of this is that being clueless should not be construed as being derogatory. Those of us who are clueless about computers to whatever degree are market opportunities for the solution providers who can profitably hold our hands. That's why my car repairman is the most valued person outside my family. I'm clueless when it comes to automobiles and I am intent on remaining so. --Mike Buckley

To: William who wrote (140)	9/6/1999 9:16:00 PM
From: Brian K Crawford	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1817

Seems to me....AOL users are as "Main Street" as they come. AOL is way in the lead in the US internet dial-up tornado. Clueless or otherwise, AOL has a bunch of sticky, paying, middle-market customers. Currently, AOL is getting ready to apply what they learned in the US market to the European, South American, and Asian internet service tornadoes. The research I have done this weekend on AOL indicates they have a very well defined strategy in 1999: 1. Continue introducing as many Main Street users as possible to the internet through AOL dial-up. (the original strategy) 2. Align a group of DSL providers to install and co-market xDSL access. 3. Roll out a new AOL client with added features for high speed users. 4. Market high speed access as an upgrade to their existing dial-up accounts. There will be a marketing blitz later this fall when the new AOL 5.0 client is introduced. 5.0 has auto detecting features for high speed users, and will bring added features, including music and video. AOL has agreements for xDSL marketing and installation with several of the RBOC's, including SBC, Ameritech, and Bell Atlantic. Also GTE. It should be interesting to see the sign up numbers unfold versus cable. BTW, I guess I need to apologize for so much AOL chatter. Didn't realize some of you were interested in focusing the discussions here on the publicly traded internet venture capital plays. Brian