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On Thu, 20 Apr 1995, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols wrote:

> > Or does the newspaper
> > industry arrogantly believe that it can control content of every
> > kind? 

Actually, it is becoming more a matter of survival.  More people are 
turning to on-line sources for their information and this is cutting into 
subscription bases.  As the price of "virtually unlimited time" drops, 
the desirability of on-line increases.  Why by a 5 lb bundle of pulp when 
I can print a 10 page "clip" to read on the train.

It won't be too long before your news-stand will be a booth surrounded by 
touch-screens and laser-printers.

> My impression from the press conference isn't so much that the NCN is 
> directed against other news providers on the Internet as it is 
> against having to cede control of the transportation media to 
> commercial online services -- in particular, The Microsoft Network. 

Especially since Microsoft appears to be establishing it's Own news 
publishing firm.  They have been collecting information from several 
publishers and services, and recuiting from their "developer partners"
to get the best talent.  One of my co-workers was recruited while working 
on a Microsoft News Engine.

Considering how Microsoft has treated other "partners" like Lotus, 
Word-Perfect, Novell, and Stac, no one want to give Microsoft the News 
Publishing Monopoly.

> Again, that issue was danced around and I have no concrete quotes 
> that would support this, but my feeling is that that's one of the 
> motives behind NCN.

The most significant breakthrough of NCN will be the advent of a 
subscription/collection/distribution mechanism.  I wonder who came up 
with that bright Idea. :-).

> Steven

	Rex Ballard (S&P)


From rballard@cnj.digex.net Mon May  1 03:27:51 1995