The Internet is noted for the easy distribution of information. This is why many of us began selling ebooks, music CDs, DVDs, and similar products. But it appears as though the selling of information products is gradually being replaced with subscription information services. Perhaps we will eventually not buy informational products, but receive text, art, music and other information as part of a subscription service.
Some companies are approaching this new era of information subscription services the wrong way: they are trying to incorporate old approaches into the Internet environment. One such company is Gator, a company that produces password software - with a catch: they deliver annoying and unwanted pop-up advertisements.
This company believes in gathering eyeballs. Never mind that these ads annoy people. Never mind that these ads frustrate people. Never mind that these ads irritate people. Internet viewers will not put up with this. Neither will large publishers. Several of them, including The Washington Post Company, Dow Jones & Company, and The New York Times Company, sued Gator alleging that there is an implication that these publishers have authorized the pop-up ads.
Of course, these pop-up ads have been annoying to small business people as well. It's time these big publishers acted.
Another company on the wrong track, I believe, is start-up Copyseal. It has developed software that does not allow HTML pages to be copied or printed. The software inserts random characters into the documents in a way that makes the document illegible. Instead of trying to restrict access, they should be trying to see how to expand access. Of course, we need some controls. The simple password system used all over on the Net is enough.
One company that is approaching the matter appropriately, i.e. they are considering the nature of the Internet and the nature of people, is EarthLink. They are initiating a new music subscription service. For about $10 a month you can download up to 50 songs; for about $18 a month you may download up to 100 songs. They believe that with cheap enough prices, people will prefer a legal service such as this instead of an illgal file-swapping service. The service is part of a partnership with major record companies.
The popularity of information services in the future will depend on how simple and easy it will be to serve people.
