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Strategies & Market Trends : Gorilla and King Portfolio Candidates -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: areokat who wrote (30796)	8/31/2000 3:07:20 PM
From: Doren	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 54805

I'm a designer with three smart (but ignorant) clients on AOL. Here is why AOL is so successful: 1) Since it doesn't cost anything to try AOL for a month many people take them up on it. 2) Setting up an AOL account is easy. 3)Most computer newbies are extremely fearful of screwing up their computers. THIS IS THE KEY. Setting up ISP information is a hassle even for me. For most people setting up anything on a computer is a hassle. Once set up on AOL they fear that changing ANYTHING on their computer might lead to days and weeks worth of hassle. True or not, they are not about to RISK it. I've pointed out to these clients that they have trapped themselves in a cycle of ignorance. I've pointed out that doing anything else on AOL involves extra hassle (FTPing on AOL is particularly stupid, I won't do it without a large extra fee). But they will not change under any circumstances. Once on the AOL teat, they never leave. Good example of the importance of interface design. 4) AOL does have services that they appreciate. I can't see anyone undermining AOLs dominance of the training wheel users in the near future except broadband. But I have mentioned to my programmer buddies that whoever comes up with an easy system to configure PPP, etc will have a pretty good chance to make a lot of money.