Sender: •••@••.••• In a message dated 96-03-08 18:00:18 EST, you write: >Remember when AT&T first entered the PC clone market? Everybody figured >they could take it over because of their deep pockets, but their offering >went the way of the TI Professional and most of the other clones. Remember >when people thought Microsoft Network would put AOL and CompuServe out of >business? > ~snip~ >But we need to adopt a wait-and-see attitude if we're going to avoid >running around like Chicken Little. AT&T is just one more player in the >game, and it's getting interesting. > >Glen Raphael >(who wonders when Sprint and MCI will jump into the fray...) > > Ehhh. I have to say I dont really agree with you 100%. AT&T is sticking to what they do best..which is Telecommunications. Microsoft is a software giant, so that is naturally their strength, same goes to AOL as to the Intenet. Kentucky Fried Chicken makes some damn good chicken, but I dont go there for their for a burger. AT&T took a big gamble in the pc world, hell I could even see that coming! That is foolish to think that AOL is a Internet provider when there ISP service is slow. Why do you think they push GNN so hard?? AOL, Prodigy, Compuserve, MSN, are Online services...not to be mistaken with ISP. The web is gaining so much multimedia content that naturally the web is the future for alot of new services, Home Audio/Video is merging with PC's in new way as we speak. So since AT&T is a Telecommunications Giant, that is what should scare alot of the internet companies and possibly monopolize the market. ~snip~ >AT&T is an upstart. They have to offer an attractive startup package in >order to bootstrap the service, but their market share is currently 0% and >there is no way that they are going to "corner the market" so long as it >remains essentially unregulated. Some people will panic over AT&T's entry >announcements just as people panicked over Microsoft's entry announcement. That is sort of stupid...why would you want a cheap ISP with shotty service, crappy tech support,frequent disconnects and busy signals. Hell I got Free Prodigy from my company and I pay for AOL...AOL provides superior service, that is what the customer wants regardless of the expense (unless you a cheapskate) AT&T is offering a great price and backed with there service, it is an unbeatable deal. I think AT&T is looking for the masses instead of making money on a selected few. That is what Market Saturation is all about, Look how McDonalds is even in gas stations, Wal-Marts, ,and a host of other outfits. Same goes with my company, Circuit City, we run negative margins and very low mark-ups, guaranteed low prices, and unparalled service to boot. That is how you squeeze out the the competition like Best Buys, Good Guys, Campo, and other Mom and Pop operations. Market Saturation is apparent even in the Banking system, and mass mergers that goes on these days, you must be large and specialize to offer competitive prices, and the service to match. Nobody is playing chicken little...I just can see the train coming down the tracks, but If you wanna stay on the tracks and get run over,thats you ignorance, dosent bother me none. ;) Of course that is my opinion......and of course to keep my ass clear....no Circuit Citys opinion either :) Martin Wood ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~-~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~ Posted by Andrew Oram - •••@••.••• - Moderator: CYBER-RIGHTS (CPSR) Cyber-Rights: http://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/nii/cyber-rights/ ftp://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/nii/cyber-rights/Library/ CyberJournal: (WWW or FTP) --> ftp://ftp.iol.ie/users/rkmoore Materials may be reposted in their _entirety_ for non-commercial use. ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~-~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~
