> Let's say there's a shakedown of the Internet companies soon. All the
> second- and third-tier companies have their valuations fall out from
> under them, and Microsoft, America Online, Yahoo, and Amazon go on a
> buying spree. There is a massive consolidation, and suddenly the Web
> has exactly three or four portals/shoppingmalls/channels... much like
> CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. (Of course, this analogy falls short, because
> network TV is actually losing market share to cable TV and satellite
> TV, whereas the portals seem to be gaining share compared with the rest
> of the Net...)
>
> Wouldn't it be insane, with the vast size and capacity and information
> of the Internet, if 97% of people spent all their time in one of four
> sites?
Let's not forget the OS movement!! Hi, I'm Cindy Dale. I'm new to the
list and have just been lurking. Tim said I should intro myself, but I
wanted to get a feel for the list first, and I'll be damned if I can
figure out just what the focus of it is, but -shrug- Anyhow, I'm 33, a
mom/writer/geek, from Mississippi, now in NC working at Red Hat Software
as a Level 2 tech support engineer (Don't start groaning yet; phone
suppport doesn't start till after the new year). I took my BA in English
from USM under the stern guidance of Steve Barthelme (if you don't know
who he is, maybe you've heard of his brother Donald? no? didn't think
so. sigh.). I dunno how i got into this field, something about a shell
account in college and my hatred of GUI....
Anyhow, hello!
Cindy