And it came to pass that Adam Bailey wrote:
>DeMoN_LaG <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Orrin Edenfield wrote:
>>>> When AOL ships the next versions of their product, why
>>>> would they agree to use Microsoft IE products as the
>>>> default product for AOL instead of imbedding Mozilla? Is
>>>> it that important to AOL to be on the Windows XP desktop?
>>>
>>> Yes, most of their customers are Windows users.
>>
>> I disagree. Most of their customers are new computer
>> buyers. They see tons of TV commercials for AOL, they see
>> AOL has 1.8 billion or however many members, they think
>> it's good. They have a Free AOL CD (who doesn't?). AOL
>> doesn't *need* AOL on the desktop anymore.
>
>AOL and I disagree. The further and further AOL digs into the
>novice computer market, the more likely you are that a
>potential customer will *never* install *any* software on
>their computer, because it's too confusing for them. These
>people will instead use MSN, since it's all set for them.
>
Despite all of MS's claims to the contrary, MSN is much more
complicated than AOL. I'm no AOL fan, but it IS extremely
simple to learn. I never did figure out Outlook, and dumped it
after it infected me.
So let's look at the situation;
The majority of people purchasing an XP upgrade all ready have
AOL installed on their system, and will very likely stick with
it, or try MSN for the trial period, and keep AOL.
But many XP upgrade customers will not have AOL.
Several recent surveys indicate that a significant number of
98SE and ME users do not intend to upgrade their OS on their
current computer to XP. ME has upset a lot of folks who
expected somthing more than Win98 Third Edition (with new bugs!)
But they don't really count, do they?
So that leaves people purchasing new computers with XP
installed.
A very large majority of people who will be purchasing computers
in the near future will do so as an upgrade, and most of those
all ready use AOL. As above, they will try MSN for the trial
period, and keep AOL.
But the MS deal does not affect AOL's deals with various
computer manufacturers, so those new computers from Dell,
Gateway, HP et al., will very likely have AOL on the desktop
REGARDLESS of MS.
Survey says - no loss for AOL!
>AOL has a high churn rate, and can't afford to limit any of
>its efforts on the Windows side.
>From observation, more people dump MSN after the trial period
than AOL by a 50 to 1 margin. But that's just amongst the
people I know. The actual margins may be much higher.
--
}:-) Christopher Jahn
{:-( Dionysian Reveler
Ack!!
To reply: xjahnATyahooDOTcom
