Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

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 : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (32219)	1/2/1999 2:31:00 PM
From: Peter J Hudson	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 164684

AOL has, what William mistakenly attributes to AMZN, a franchise. When AOL signs up a customer there are significant barriers to another ISP capturing that customer. AOL did (is doing) a wonderful job of providing easy on line access. It has a nationwide footprint has impressive content of its own and is price competitive. Just not wanting to change email addresses is enough to keep many customers with whoever they first sign up. AMZN has none of these advantages. I have purchased books & CDs from AMZN, but I don't consider them my exclusive online merchant. In fact my last experience using AMZN was less than satisfactory. Ordered "America's Greatest Generation" on 12/6 it did not ship until 12/16. They sent me an email when it shipped with no apology for the delay, just notified me that I got a complementary shipping upgrade. Like they were doing me a favor. I will shop elsewhere next time. There is no barrier to keep me from using another online book seller. I believe both AOL and AMZN have unrealistic valuations at this time. The difference is AOL will probably eventually grow into theirs. AMZN will never be worth its current valuation and I believe the experts publicly justifying AMZN's valuation should be investigated. We are either dealing with ulterior motives or extreme incompetence. I have been an SI member for quite awhile. I usually just lurk & learn. I've been reading this thread for a few weeks and I have to say it's the most fun I've had on line for a long while. Serious differences mixed with good fun and almost always civil. Happy New Year Pete

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (32219)	1/2/1999 2:32:00 PM
From: Dwight E. Karlsen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 164684

Glenn, I totally agree with you on why AOL retains its popularity: The self-configuring disks are the reason. Most of the people I know who are on the internet are non-techies (meaning they aren't sure what the phrase '3 1/2" drive' really means), and therefore those magic disks enable them to get on the 'net all by themselves. Whereas the rest of us put up with going line-by-line through two and three pages of cryptic instructions, telling us what to select as we go through the "Internet Connection Wizard" process. We don't care if don't know what POP, Slip, etc., mean, but those words to a newbie are frightening. AOL allows them to simply put a disk in the slot that fits the disk, choose a local phone #, type in their credit card #, choose a user name and pw, and they're internet wizards all by themselves. I never could figure out why the local mom-and-pop ISP don't make disks allowing people to sign up as easily as AOL makes it, but then I guess that's why the local ISPs are still small and AOL is bigger than General Motors.