"How-to-Choose an Internet Service Provider" article I wrote for Interface Monthly with interviews of CEO\'s of early ISPs and cable companies

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MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COMPUTER MAGAZINE
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2. GruosncAN h'rmr[Er Smvro kouum
What t0 cltxsider BEF)REyut go on-lhre
Br Gruu Vel 0roen
Vherher lour lnrerner markehng achieving this goal? vhen determining your business
pians require a wrde audrence. or a to (5) Do I wanr to sell something, pro, goals and expectations from the Inre.,
cal one, the cosr ro put your business mote an image, o. bo!h? ner, a lor depends on $rhat kind of
online has never been lower Ifyou,re (6) Do I want to communicare wirh business you have. Fo. example, a
considering rhe possibility of conducr- customers? Do I undersrand how to in- manufactu.ing company mighr derive
ing business on the Inrernet, rhere are teract online wirh those cusromers nore benefit from an online p.esence
some questions you should ask your- (mailbots, darabases, auromared than a clothing srore. Typica y, a manu-
self before proceedins: lhtservs, mailing lisrs)? facturing company s objecrive is ro
(7) Should I design, mainrain and generate inquiries or leads ro potential
(l) what a.e rny business goals and put up my own page, hire a consuhant, new custoDrers, while a clothing srore
expectarions from tbe tntemet? o. conracr alr ourside service? would seek .er2il s2les
(2) Am I doing rhis as a way ro pro- (8) How do I shop for an Interner Regardless of what rype of business
mor€ and develop my present business, Seffice Provider (lsp) and/or veb de, you have, the firsr step is ro determine
or am I going to culrivare an entkely velopment company?
new, perhaps internaiional market andl
"If all you want ro do is open up
Determine your Goals your company ro the global power of
€) Can I keep access local toavoid e mail, rhen you may ofiy need a simple
being inundated by long distance inquir Companies going on ihe tnternet
do so with a variery ofgoals. Some rry mail feed from an Interner Seryice prc
i€s? A Maine or New Hamp$hire vider,' points our M t. Shoer, president
reslaurant with quick delivery seNice, to promote and develop an already es,
tablished business while orhers try to of Blue Fin Sysrems of porrsmouth, an
fo. example, doesn't want to take or ISP and veb site developmenr com-
ders from Nome, Alaska. cultilare a niche as a whole new busi
panv.
(4) How commitred am i ro "l iowever, if you wish ro establish I
you Erperietrce what the World Wide Web
Service Can Do for your Business,
It's Amazing How Basy it
is for Customers to tr'ind
You - All Over the World.
Solar Eclipse Information Services
Monument Squarc- (207) 7?5-384t -800-892-0042
http://wrdw.seis.com -
Intemet Access .- BBS
Intenace Monthly . O.iober 1995 . Pqg. 35

3. 2 truly global, 'round the clock pres- A company selling Producis mail Vhen creating a business Plan, al_
ence fo. your company, then a full order fiom a calalo8 might wmi to put locate time and resources for the new
access/tull service ptovider that can ful- their entire collection of inventory on a project. Initial considerations will in-
fill your requirements is essential ' Web site to be petused on a twenry- clude muldmedia effects and content,
ingo Roemer of Rocket Science four hour basis- with no brochure, such as links to other interesting Web
paper, and mailing costs, or phone/PeF sites. interactive hosting of business-re
Compute. Services in Portsmouth, an ISP
& veb dev€lopment company, stresses somel bills involved. They can tack lated topics and services or even
that your expectations from the lnter- which ilems of inventory are looked al unrelated services such as a bulledn
on a daily basis, the number ofhitr, or board conf€rence. These can be on any
"Your busioess goals shouldn't cuslomers contacG, and how much tlme subjeci- primary candidates, or a new
change that much. Your expectations, (to the nillisecondl) people spend l@k- low-fat garlic bread recipe, for example
how€ver, may hav€ to. There is lots ol ing at a particular paSe or inventory Be caretul, however, of the addinonal
press about the Interne! and all the n€at time required lo dowrioad Sraphics-
things that are on-line," says Roemer' Mos! provide.s will include statis' most peoPle dont like to wair'
"Everyday we hea. about incredible tics like these as parr of the overall Though the variations a.e endless,
or package ln mosr cases You will ev€n you may opt fof a Sradual introduction
sales .esults from a simPle veb page
the large amoun6 of cyber'iunl what be ,hlc ro rell what rompany or indi- ro cyberspace by sFning out with a no-
is real and what is fiction can be di' vidual looked at you. page. frills, inexpensive $/eb site containing
vided by a very fine line, he wa.tu Another oplion, not always requir- basic information about your curent
"Corporate America is using it ing a large initial investment, is business, minimal use of graphics, and
heavily for information distribution, e development ol a new comPany or con- a brief outline of your services andlo.
ma,l, and file transfers. lwhether your cept on Iine. whose sole purpose is to products. You may also want Io get on'
compaoy is large or small and is look focus on a parlicula! asPect of the iine and check our whai others in the
in8 to get on-line, approach it carefully compznys Presenl operations, o. sim_ same line of business are doing (access
internet providers are springing up ev ply limit on-line activity to a certain one of the largest directories for this in'
erywhere some good, some not so njche. A good way to learn about your formation at hft p://yahoo.com)
Find a company that is solid and will- options on-line is to brows€ over the
in8 ro provide for your needs as your plethora ol oferings curendy on the Keeping It l-ocal
demand grows," Roemer continues. web, examine the assortment of pmcti_
cal advice, rAQs (frequently asked lf you want to avoid being inun-
You re not g€tting a cable connection inquiries from all pans ofthe
dated by
fo. a TV, this is telecommunications questions), and newsgroups available
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PAGI 36 . Inteface Mondny . octobet 1995

4. world you have several optiora. You quires frequent updating (includes stock MCI, and sprinq as well as some soii-
can design your page ro presem a re- prices, weather, dates, or anlthing that ware companies like Nerscape and
que$ form for the viewer io fill out for flucnrates), make su.e you stay curent. Microsoft, are offering s€cure Interne!
furlher iniormation. After a browser Nothing gives away a neSlected site $ansaction capabilities built into their
sig.s oli a mailbot can be configur€d more so rhan our of dare infomation. on-line software with Visa and
to (a) deny rhe request based on the Maslercard acceptance.
geographical location of the recipient, To Sell, Promote, or Both "Intemet Service Providers come in
and (b) test for bogus e-mail addresses ail shapes and sizes,' says Shoer "The
by an e mail validation check to the If you wish to promote an image
trick is to look for a provider that can
users account. In many instances search, your options will include building and
ers will arbitrarily limit their data base maintaining a Web site, interacting with
You will also want to be sure that
inquiry geographically anyrvay, so that prospects and customers online your veb pase developer (unless you re
you wiu not even be brought up by an *rough e-mail, newsgroups, listsews a do-ii-yourselfer) has intimate knowl-
(more private and pointed than Usen€t
"Ajia" search or a "California look-up. edge about your business provided by
Before you decide to eliminate all but newsgroups) and, in oprimum ci.cum-
you or previous indusrry experience, in
the local market make sure thar rhere is s'ances, becoming sawy yourself with
order ro become a pan of online pub-
no benefit in reaching a narional or in- the culture of the Internet. Remember
te.national markel Many smal business thal when people are looking 2t your
owners iocus on iocal markeb because Web site tlEy are looking at you. Ifthere
Communicaring With Customers
ofthe.esources required to go tu(her are Pro8ram er.ors, unlinked code,
Through Ma ing fists
Vith the Inferne!, it s no more expen- sloppysegues and t ansitions, or mean-
sive to marker across lhe srare han ingless verbiage, then you wilt be There are a number of methods
making a negative first impression. And for gen€rating "lntemet Mailing Lisls.'
Having set goals and expectatiora. since the.e are so many places to go on On€ way is to subscribe to a Usener
you should be zble ro caiculate approxi, lhe NeI, people probably wont com€ newsgroup and find out what other
mately how much time and money will mail lists (list processo.s) are available
be required fo. your ventur€. Many If you want to sell a product, you for a target ma.ket. Then, €-mail a
'world wide web sites a.e filled wi$ will n ant to make sure that you have a "Lisf or "info" command to the "List,
"unde. construcrion' postings which, to plan for secure commercial tnnsactions. pfocessor", subscribe to a panicular
a lot ofpeople, indicates a site in which Many of the larger online services in- list and run a "review" ofall6ubscrib-
the crearor lost int€rest. If your sire re- cluding Amedca On-Line, Compuserve, €rs to that list. Before using that list to
DIGITAL
VID EO Some peoplz see it clear whilc
others dnn't see it at aIL
Mainestreet Communicarions is a businels Intemet
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'lyo.: re involred with video and telev$ion production, callC&C
providei We view the Intemet s m effecrive yay ro rea€h
both new & srablished c$tome$. As Maine's leader in
povidins bcin6ss s$ online oprions, we help compmi6
determine th€ best way to benefit fton electtonic
Video for your CLOSED CAPTIONINC needs.
communicatione-tom baic e-mail to tull Int€met prsence
Closed'captioned or CC is similar to subtitles on the bottom of
forcign fiims. CCenables deaf or hard-olheaing people to 'tead"
wl'ar berrt sdid. Most videos "used in theworlplrce" require
Call 6 roday and we'll show you how dea buinsss
'( are profiting ftom inexpesive Inremet presence. Ve'll
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Cdllus looay ro frnd oul how inexpensive it is toCC yourvideo. clealy aswer any questions you have.
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htay'/gw,,.maine.com . Email: cfm@mine.com . 20?,65?,50?8
Interfae Monthly . october 1995 . P.|gc 37

5. contact its members, lea.n the degree a negative image is made of your com- backofa magazine. Howeve., ifyou are
of "netiquette" peculiar to each list. pany," adds Roemer. Fortunalely you buyins somethins for your company, tou
You can get a feel fo. this by follow don't have to spend lhousands up fronL would probably choose differently. '
ing the postings ior a while, then veb pages are easyto add to. So as your "For your business, you mightcon
auempting an innocuous postins in an crompany grows, so can your veb ste. sider buying the mosl expensile
attempt to 8et to know some of the Hiring a consultant may b€ lhe an- solution exercising the lheory that you
swer for those who are comfortable with get what you pay for, Adams contin
outsourcing much of the leg work. Ad- ues. "However, once youve reall!
To Outsource Or Not To vice in choosinS an ISP,^web D€veloPer srudied the question, lhe riShi choice
outsourc€ is an important f2cet of the consuhanfs might well lurn oul to be a mid range
overall importance to the proc€ss. If you system fiom a siable, narionally recog-
Iiyour inilial stan-up application is want unbiased advice, make sur€ you.
simple, you may want !o try your hand consultant is noi associated with 2ny ISP Adam leels an impoftant lactor when
at coding documents by using HTML or Development company. considering a provider is topology.
(HyperText Markup LanguaSe). User- 'Network topology can help you
fri€ndly code SeneGlors are beconing Shopping for an ISP andlor Web understand hoer lulnerable the network
more popula!, such as Navisoft bY d€velopment company is to outages, how much.zpaciry is avail'
Navipress (a subsidiary of America on- able when the network experiences
!ine), zndrwebsiE (o Reilly Associates). Rich Adams. Chakman & Founder hea!,y use a.d mos! importantly, hoR
For mo.e complicated projects, your UUNET Technologies, and developer of well the pror'ider unde.slands network
HTML pages will require Common GaIe- lhe Microsoft Nerwork, is a p.ovider of enginee.ing
way Intefface scripting, in a more Alternet lnternet Servic€s out of Falls 'Any compeleni providershould be
lechnical language like Perl or visual Church, Va., with PoinLs ot Presence happy to shos you their netwo.k topol-
Basic. ogy. Its a Sood way lo. ihem to
" DeveLoping your own pages is "Buying an Inlernet Connection is a demonsrate how well lhey understand
exciring and quile simple," says Roemer. lot like buying a computer, Adans says. Ihei! busioess, Adams says.
.Your choice of Inlernet provides should
"But you should be carefDl not lo take ''Look closely ai whal ihey shos
on more rhan you can handLe. be driven by your inlended use. If you you. Some providers will give you a vn
"The Internet can be a very unfor- are looking lor a minimum cost, ba'e ualbackbone nap Vinual netwo.k zre
giving place. If your page is bones computer for your kids, you olght
unprofessional or do€snt wolk corectly, seek oDt the lowest priced system in the .o tntued an PaAe 45
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PAGE 38 . Inrerfa.e Monrbly . october 195

6. .at r|te.t li1r flle j.e cxn ttuli bc i pJl1ner. i)u r.nl Lr) find .Lr.ri,ltt Io compinies tod.t i]tu Plenli
x conprn) thrl hrs ! soli.lhistory. sound r!l '.,r.1 inep.nsnc. '()! onll hlc t()
ncrnirgless Y(rr drtr docs nd lr.rvel rcsourccs.r..l rire rdlent ro bdng xllLlrtrr rrr.r[t rhr nxNe ro becomc prjl ()l l]re
()n ;L virtlrxl netqork iL lrxvels on a rogelhc.lar rhe benefir oithc cus(lncr
Thc drvs oi brsdncn( oper!tn)ns
vnturl nctivorl{ n ps rrc represen lrc fudirg trst. Shoer continu(s. Pn! (.!&rL i t t tle i 4| I1)t[ .t ]tle
rurions ol xll rhc prfis Lhrr could be !iders nccd ro pft)vidc.xcorflrr (,r,rirxld/r.rJ unl t1!b D.ttltprtt t
i rplenrenred by thc Nppli$s vi uxl customc.sc i.e. rt d P.i.e th.t &)cs nl)( i,ittrlnrtt llt thc,t1dnth.:lert N.ll ttlrd H.
.ircun s*,itching c.luipncnl. b!r which sr(dJlcc lhe quxlit! ol lln)sc scri(cs it t rttDl)t) t)l tc )lltdtLa.ltr air, ttt i1.
rlry nor.xist. iiirLrl ncl!(n'ks rt LLsu Thit couplcrL NiIh drc ksourecs 1() cirl |Iilnt drLlnds p nlu..l rnlo lt)ut trntd
rlly used to dodge rlrc issuc ol phvsic.l thcscricc ta ud rnd froi.lc r lunc(l iA dinlt Dtnl'! l:*71 Dr[ia uitl] drnftttul
.xpability A supplicr nccds ft) undcr scl ()l rrs(iurccs lo nce( Y(tr'r unlq(c tlr:i/dl ttli rs 1t .tt1t r.acl) hi t at
snnd phrsicrl ncl$orks ro lnde$rind busincss ne..l $ill pn^c lo l)t x gi1'xr rd t'rtittl arupt)t tld. e1.
vhdt is nnponanL la. na ing their cus Nss(J r() lolr arsincss. rd1|nlt)ta,tL,u t:t, rtl11Ltt, Outpost 4t
Iomcb. Ilsorneonc tells )( rhrt Physi(rl The Iclcc()nrnruni(rli()n ()pri.ns td)-)ta;)-/)jti
ropok)gy is unnnponrnr.Iher eithcr donl
lnderstlnd hoN lo engincer r netil)rk
or .re trying Lo disguisc ltncrhnrg.
Fnr2uy. considc. thc sc(,n!lxnd prc
nnnion of lhc cb sile it c)bersPlcc
'l his de.ision c.n bc r ..iti.dl ir.ftr. in
nr.ccssiul pron)()t()n ()l (trtr coDP.nl.
Ricluud Co, (lFlO ol ed:tcgislcr, x
v'eb devcloper out ollrnchcsLcf. N.H..
poses rhe queslion. .do Iou hr!.c fotr llor
K-1
h-
scan_ throug r?aas and blcx
of arear to
o$,n do'rxin nrnre?'lhis is your lDlcrnet
.lomain nxnre or Unitbmr Rcsour(c l.()
orn oai3on.l Add..r! book '
c!ror (lJRt) ol Ihc lorn htlp: .
The Wi
$a!$ yourcomPrnr conr.
'''lheF is on'onr thins r{rse tlrxn sa'{ SpF{e'.
no! hdving louror donlin nit.re l.ltl (9soa56'1605
rnd thet is onc Lhrl poirlrs to ihe lsl']s
hoore p!gc, cox savs "l){dr be iircled
by f.nc) suilies Iike hrtp ,./
N${ yourlSP..onr/-you,.omp.nyl Thc
(inrenveirry lnrer.ct hdteler rvillleavc oll
rlic t/-yourconrprn.vl rn.l ilnd )ou.lsP
.'Inragine hos. you 1r1d feel .ficr
spending xlld t nrorer prcDotiDg your
domrin nxorL'only k)fnrl(nrL Lllt pcopie STOP!
i.tendnrg ftr visil vou sct sidcur(kc.l by
anod.r comprn-v on our ISl'] s home
OccrsionJlly, dcxling Nirh high ie.h
lbsrrrclbns srLch rs rh)se ,ntolved in
telcconnnunicllions ..rn becoDe . orx
jor distrrctjon il you xrc geft,ng negrtive
lccdbrck lionr _vour Isl'(.nrlcis. Ile.de Is your €ompary getthg the most from
fr olrnrone tryingtu i okes.reentheir do ars? Maybe lts tlln€ to compare
irs advertisirg
osn jgnoance behni r br.rtrgeofbuzz
rvods .rnd rechi jxrg()n In prniculxr do
Interfac€ Montl y.eaches ov€r 20,000 people
no! ler someone inrrnri.lrtc yo! our of &om Matne & New Hampshire. The ar'€rage Inrerfa{e
texr olshowing x ldck ol knowlcdge. Be
Moathly.eader has the authority to recomtrrer4
ery clexr xnd up tionl rbou( (his with sp€ad o' influence S8,680 annualy on computer
$lDmcrer you .lerl $ith rcm(nber relat€d servtces & $9.300 on hardware & softwa.e.
rhrr vou xr dre .ustomer.
''I.re.ncl scnr.e Pr.vi.lers comc iD
cail us toda] Jor lnformation on how you
rllshrDes xnd sizes lhe m.rke( is nr! coflpany can turtr Inteface r€aale€ lnto customers.
ruring eq npid' Fo.rhe clLst(nnel thc
bcnclirs lre trll dreirs. srys shoc. This
mirtu'lti()n is p(nh(ing hlghcr qulliLy Hittr""l"."
t qlmonlhlv
pr^iders sirh c.) .osl cft..rirc fuLcs. .60aJ 12a-7919 (:2Ai A79 2217
T|e nn:k $ tr) kx)k i;r . pr^ klcr LLll 114 Foi.'srd.t . P.nlbd M.ine
rnrui.. I,ft rl . o.!JD.r 199i. Poge45