Filtered for Purity
So much going on. And so little time to figure it all out.
On Monday, the San Jose Mercury News dissected Salon. “The brutal arithmetic says advertising and promotions still do not cover the cost of online publishing, particularly for a Web publication that has no paper-and-ink counterpart to generate articles.” The one key insight in the piece comes from Jim Breyer, a VC with Accel Partners. “The problem with many of the Internet content companies is that there is no risk-reduction strategy that can take place before consumer acceptance or denial.”
On Monday, Ad Age reported that “Gist TV, which provides TV listings on the Web, announced a partnership with Internet Movie Database to provide a co-branded entertainment resource for both film and TV information on the Internet.”
On Tuesday, Steve Silberman profiled Custom Revolution, who will sell two products: customized “mix” CDs to consumers, and demographic information to marketers. The one to one future, indeed.
On Tuesday, an IBM insider denied Gateway acquisition rumors on Techweb. “We would never do anything to upset the channel,” said the source.
On Wednesday, Microsoft announced they’re buying Hotmail, and will make it a free feature of the Microsoft Network. I have to admit that it was early rumors of this acquisition that inspired The One to One Future, Part I. Not that I’m paranoid or anything. Really.
On Wednesday, Wired News took an alternative look at the year in technology: vaporware galore.
On Wednesday, word leaked of a cruel prank played by Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison.
And on Thursday, while everyone else nursed their heads, Alexis Massie relaunched After Dinner. Welcome back, Alex.
Elsewhere…
The digerati ask questions (for a change). The World Question Center, on John Brockman’s Edge.org.
eSchoolnews.com. “K-12 technology and internet decision makers’ #1 news source.”
MSNBC’s 1997 business wrapup, “Who Clicked in Commerce,” has Bill G. leading the pack.
What happens when two people who live over 1,500 miles apart and met via the ‘net meet in real life?