> Oh but it was wonderful! If I remember correctly (and I am sure Mikel can > tell us) AOL bought the concept from Apple.
You don't know the half of it: - Apple and Quantum Computing Services start a joint venture, known as 'AppleLink:Personal Edition' (anyone remember AppleLink?) - Quantum originally provided a similar service for the Commodore 64 users. - The services, debuting on the Apple II/Apple IIgs platform, proves incredibly popular. - A Mac version is introduced. For a while, both versions co-exist well. - Apple decides that the online market is a fluke, and thus has no future. They sell their shares in 'A:PE' back to Quantum. - Quantum rebrands itself as America Online. - following a period of phenomenal growth, Apple under Gil Amelio decides that the online market *can* be profitable after all, and announces 'eWorld'. - eWorld, essentially, is the AOL client core, and technology, licensed from AOL, at a quite high price. Steve Case is dancing. - Apple, stupidly decided to create their own online area and service, with nary an overlap to AOL. - They price their service at twice the cost of AOL, with half the features (no secondary accounts). Headscratching ensues, when after initial beta test, and sending out of T-shirts to beta testers, over 90% of their installed base discontinues the service. - Apple closes eWorld, and migrates eWorld accounts over to AOL. Steve Case dances. A classic example of total and utter corporate stupidity from beginning to end. I wonder where those eWorld guys are these days? "Unemployed, in Greenland?" Harry -- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> old-archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/>
