Re: Sizing the Internet market

[James Waldrop <[e-mail]>]

James Gleick wrote:
>Lloyd Brodsky asked:
>
>>3.  To what extent is the legendarily difficult character-based
>>    VT100 Internet interface you get with almost all dial-up accounts
>>    a genuine bar to access? Put another way if, say, a Mosaic-style
>>    GUI interface were operable over an ordinary dial-up account how
>>    many more people would sign up that would not otherwise? I might
>>    also ask, since a SLIP connection would permit the use of Mosaic,
>>    if it would make a big difference why don't providers hand out
>>    SLIP-preconfigured copies now?
>
>I can tell you (self-servingly--caveat emptor) that it makes an 
>enormous difference. We have just begun offering a Windows 
>interface, and it is absolutely clear that we are drawing a 
>customer base for whom the interface is not just a bit of added 
>value. Rather, it is the difference between using the Internet 
>and not using it--period.

Hmm, just to throw a little kindling on this fire, I would venture
to say that price is more important than interface.  Why?  Because
a place like Netcom, with a low fix-priced scheme, seems to be much
more popular than the easier to use but more expensive Pipeline.
I want to make it clear that I'm only operating on hearsay, as I'm
not associated with Pipeline in the slightest, but I know that the
general impression among those who follow the NY Internet scene is
that Pipeline has been starting off slowly, mainly because of the
price.

I think this adds a fairly compelling twist to the discussion.

James Waldrop

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