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 : InfoSpace (INSP): Where GNET went! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Josef Svejk who wrote (5269)	5/7/1999 10:13:00 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 28311

But the Internet's power was still hampered by the lack of broadband communication capability [. . .] that could more easily deliver video and audio. Josef, There is only one challenge greater than broadband capacity and that is providing users a different internet interface than a Windows based browsing platform. There are just too many people who have no interest in buying a computer and learning such a complicated operating system but DO have an interest in finding out what the net is all about. I experienced this first-hand trying to get my parents online with Windows95. It was not easy and being fine blue-collar citizens, they were somewhat intimidated by all of this hi-tech stuff). And the current problem with set-top boxes is that they are still a bit expensive or come tied with long-term subscription contracts (WebTB comes to mind). Getting the internet access device market to the sub-$100 range but retain functionality and ethernet capacity, and making it possible for them to operate with ANY ISP is the real key to bringing the masses to the net and fully developing its market potential. Web portals should be entering into this untapped market of users, providing free boxes to them if they have to. And I think I know just the company that will do that. (and it ain't MSFT/WebTB or T... :0) Regards, Ron