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Visto launched with moderate fanfare in late 1997. Their service (available at visto.com or briefcase.com) gives users a virtual web based briefcase (in fact your email address becomes youremail@briefcase.com) where they can store and coordinate virtually all facets of their digital existence. At first they apparently charged a monthly subscription fee to all users but at some point they made generous basic access free to users (with less fanfare than Microsoft's bumbling Slate...).
I haven't found the exact details but CMG probably funded them early on and may still hold a majority stake in the company. I wasn't able to find any pertinent information on the number of users they've signed up so far - for instance it didn't make the top 500 of relevant knowledge's admittedly skewed rankings.
What I have determined is that it is the best of its kind I've seen so far. Visto relies on java to develop a wonderful interface for all of its features which range from feature packed email to internal bookmarking (you can copy bookmarks from any computer's ie or nscp browser into your briefcase) and even calendar and photo sharing. During my brief use of the service I've yet to experience javascript errors that plague other sites. Features such as access to email behind firewalls and an unrivaled calendar really amaze me.
However, none of this guarantees success because a variety competitors like specialists including when.com and portals such as excite are quickly duplicating many features. Everyone is developing their own ideas about what a virtual briefcase should entail and visto will have to struggle to stay ahead of the game.
I think Visto needs to aggressively promote their current offerings to users who are most likely to stick with them. Visto's support of Lotus Notes et al and sophisticated firewall email access in general gives it ammunition in the battle to win outsourcing deals for email (etc.) systems at major corporations. Visto should move quickly to capitalize on Oracle's email debacle and Scott Mcnealy's recent musings about IS outsourcing. Capturing and reliably maintaining this business will provide a stepping stone to greater recognition and therefore more individual and small business subscribers.
In addition to selling their current services I would like to see them implement something I saw applix do long ago. Applix made example java applets of their office suite which actually loaded quicky and ran well. If visto could cut 95% of the fat from MS and Corel suites that are never used and turn the remainder into java applets they would begin to harness the real power of the network (and make McNealy happy!). With cable and dsl internet access proliferating everywhere people would at last be liberated from their shoulder sagging laptop bags. Anyway, I can dream - can't I?!
Please post useful links!
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