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Technology Stocks : AUTOHOME, Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TWICK who wrote (1050)	1/4/1998 2:47:00 PM
From: Larry Brew	Respond to of 29970

Roadrunner -------- When working for TI in 1996, another section from mine in linear was building a chip called 'Roadrunner'. The program manager for this product retired with me. He's still in Dallas. Maybe I can reach him. Larry

To: TWICK who wrote (1050)	1/4/1998 2:47:00 PM
From: Chuck Williams	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

I use Mediaone Express (cable modem service.) It rocks :-) Is there a URL that elaborates on the "RoadRunner" technology? Thanks.

To: TWICK who wrote (1050)	1/4/1998 3:04:00 PM
From: Melissa McAuliffe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

I just have a few comments and then some questions.. << However, per this Jan 19 issue, it's competitor has been revealed: The two cable giants Time Warner and >> My understanding is that there are three companies providing this service. However, each of them has their own market clearly defined and has agreements with the cable companies. Just as you can't say that Time Warner and Comcast are competitors(even though both are cable providers) because they are in different geographic markets. If I understand all this correctly, it is the same with @home...at least for now. I try to simplify things for myself and the way I perceive @home is that it is the AOL of cable. I hate to put it that way but that's how it appears to me. They provide internet access and also unique content similar to how AOL does it today. Is this fairly accurate?? With that said, my big question is who will be the competition and how will they compete. It appears that @home has a lock on this market until 2002 as I believe someone said in an earlier post that this was stated in their prospectus(which I have not read). Is their contract with Comcast, e.g. an exclusive contract or could Comcast enter into agreements with others to offer this service? I think that this is a very important issue as it will determine the future potential of @home...at least for the next four years. One thing that I also read in a previous post concerned the issue of bi-directional data. When I spoke to @home they told me they were the only company (vs. e.g. roadrunner) to offer bi-directional support so one does not also have to have a phone line to transmit data out. I am trying to visualize the future here and it is somewhat difficult as I do not have a clear understanding of the technology. e.g. who else can play in these markets? If there is one set of cable lines and only one cable company who owns these lines, it would seem to me that the key is the agreement between @home and the cable companies. Can it be possible that down the road, these lines can be used by multiple ISP's and we would have some way of accessing multiple ISP's through the same lines..just as with the telephone lines today. Or in 2002 can Comcast just walk away from their agreement with @home and allow someone else to provide this service. This whole thing seems too good to be true from a long term investment perspective so I am certain that I am missing something important here and would appreciate any insight anyone can provide. I am, however, waiting until the lock up period is over because I have been burned before on this and can't see taking this risk today. I know the stock could go up but just as easily down. But I am anxiously looking forward to owning this stock if I can just get some answers to my questions. Thanks. Melissa