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Howard Owens wrote:
>
> -----------> This message was posted to the ONLINE-NEWS list.
<-----------
>
> IMHO, "portal" is a good metaphor for a site that provides a jumping
off
> point for surfing the Web, information gathering and discovery.
>
> But I disagree with the mega portal strategy (Yahoo!, Altavista,
Netscape,
> et al., to some degree.
>
> One person mentioned that very few of us, if any of us, on this list,
use
> "portal." We're all professionals, so I'm not sure our usage patterns
are a
> good way to judge what the comman Internet user will do, even the
average
> experienced user, who has no interest in the Internet professionally.
>
> The idea that such a person might choose a specific site, make it a
default
> home page and check on that site every time he/she fires up the
browser, is
> entirely plausible.
>
> But I wonder if such a person will choose Netscape, say, or Excite,
once
> they learn how to set their own home page? My theory is that people
will
> tend toward more personal interests. Of course, I'm betting that RVers
will
> pick an RV portal (hopefully, mine). People very much into their local

> community might pick a local community site, especially if that local
> community site offers customized start pages that allows them to link
to
> other portals or Web sites that fit their broader interests.
>
> The obvious choice for a local portal is the local newspaper, but it
seems
> that few newspapers have much intrest in going in that direction,
judging
> from what I see at local newspaper sites and the reaction I get on
this
> list when I champion portal strategy elements (i.e., niche search
engines,
> local directories, membership models ... )
>
> Happy trails,
> H.

First of all, I feel portals should be personal.  When I say
personal, I mean on my computer.  (No connection problems,
no peak hours, etc.)

I vision this basically as an multifaceted INTRaNET,
completely self configurable and dynamic, from appearance and
graphics to personal and/or group organizers?

A newspaper should give all their subscription customers a
personalized version with reestablished links, phone numbers,
e-mails, etc.

Every time the customer uses the Portal/INTRaNET/Organizer
he will subconsciously thank the newspaper.

ed.


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