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Technology Stocks : America On-Line: will it survive ...? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sam who wrote (6159)	12/3/1997 3:55:00 PM
From: S. maltophilia	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13594

<<go to preferences and click no to all the pop-up/marketing ads.>> Sam, How much of AOL's revenues are derived from these ads? Don't stop posting; we need the input, since none of us think like a Pru analyst. -g-

To: Sam who wrote (6159)	12/3/1997 4:09:00 PM
From: yard_man	Respond to of 13594

I'll tell him. Glad you got a kick out of it. Does the option eliminate any mouse clicks to get around ads? Many computers & software packages are used without the least bit of knowledge on the part of the user as to what the capabilities are. But just the fact that you have to select an option to shut it off ... I wonder how that works with the advertisers. Do they know they can just be turned off with an option? I guess lot's of folks have been conditioned by the 'tube' to be willing to pay any price to have their entertainment (quality or no) -- they've lost touch with the fact that what's provided was supposed to be "for them." Who's the servant of whom? Anybody exposed to a good ISP would not choose AOL. Give it a year or two and you will see. It's going to take some time for the folks buying advertising on AOL to decide whether that's a reasonable investment compared to other forms of advertisement -- just as the jury is still out on whether large numbers of folks are goin to want to make purchases over the internet. Nothing wrong with making money, though. If you have rode AOL up from its lows, cool. I'll be looking to short at the appropriate point.

To: Sam who wrote (6159)	12/3/1997 5:10:00 PM
From: Steve Robinett	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13594

Sam, You're right people either love this stock or hate it. In either case, the emotional component distorts people's view of the company, obviously including my view as well. As you know, I'm bearish on AOL's long-term prospects, an out-moded business model groping for a way to make a living. At my most generous, I give AOL a valuation of about $63/shr but due to the uncertainties of the company, the current $82 is justifiable--but $100/shr or $125/shr! Without some change in AOL's business, those seem to me to be simply silly numbers. Best, Steve