"AOL succeeded initially by targeting newbies, using brute-force marketing techniques. In the 90s you couldn't open a magazine (PC World included) or your mailbox without an AOL disk falling out of it. This carpet-bombing technique yielded big numbers:"So what you're saying is, as a PC world editor, you advocate car bombing your subscribers.
The article was also somewhat incorrect about AOL's pricing. In the early years, shortly after it was QLink, it was much cheaper than most of the competition such as CompuServe.
WinAVI video converter v7.1 will do .rm -> .whatever.Cuts the filesize to roughly half for an .avi conversion. Quality the same as the .rm (ie usually suckish)
Closed AccountDec 30, 2006
"AOL succeeded initially by targeting newbies, using brute-force marketing techniques. In the 90s you couldn't open a magazine (PC World included) or your mailbox without an AOL disk falling out of it. This carpet-bombing technique yielded big numbers:"So what you're saying is, as a PC world editor, you advocate car bombing your subscribers.
encognitoDec 31, 2006
Keep reading buddy, keep reading...
tmiller51Dec 31, 2006
The article was also somewhat incorrect about AOL's pricing. In the early years, shortly after it was QLink, it was much cheaper than most of the competition such as CompuServe.
lividblivetDec 31, 2006
WinAVI video converter v7.1 will do .rm -> .whatever.Cuts the filesize to roughly half for an .avi conversion. Quality the same as the .rm (ie usually suckish)
vidorianDec 31, 2006
26) Phillips CDI. Worse 500 bucks i ever spent.
Closed AccountDec 31, 2006
I think the 2 glaring omissions from my perspective are the Earthlink MailStation (read PCMag's review here, it's spot-on: <a class="user" href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,3579,00.asp)">http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,3579,00.asp)</a> and the Liquid MusicPlayer. Especially Liquid... a proprietary, DRM-protected file format that requires a proprietary, DRM-protected player to play back files that dies off and disappears before gaining any kind of market traction. Sounds like MSN Music, doesn't it? Here's a hilarious, dated business plan that talks about it: <a class="user" href="http://www.businessplans.org/Audio/Audio02.html.">http://www.businessplans.org/Audio/Audio02.html.</a>
klarthDec 31, 2006
Pippin
lewhichDec 31, 2006
AOL #1, Realplayer #2. Just glad somebody sees things the way a lot of us do.
dougm68Jan 1, 2007
Actually, AOL is responsible for making the internet what it is today. Like it or not.Suck on that Al Gore.