CompuServe Messages

Tom, I wouldn't buy a hypertext machine, or any other machine, to simply read the morning newspaper. Would you? What I'm saying, and have said all along, is that any machine (and in this particular case…CDTV) MUST have at least one application that justifies it's cost. Part of that justification must include cost effectiveness. Completely off the subject of computers, but perhaps a good example is the simple hammer. Almost every household has a hammer in the house. "Joe Average Homeowner" has an occasional need to nail something together and thus it's cost effective for him (her) to buy a $10 hammer rather than hire a handyman to do the job. But by the same token, Joe doesn't own an air powered nail gun (at $300 or more, plus the cost of an air compressor at another $300 or more) because it's simply not cost effective. But, "Harry House Framer" does own both a compressor and nail gun because for him (her) it is cost effective. He can do his job (make $$$) in about 1/2 the time because of it. Harry can put together a bookcase with the nail gun, and blow up his tires with the compressor also. Nice side benefits of owning them, but Joe, who could also do those same things…doesn't because it's still not cost effective. There's no single application that "Joe" can use to justify that type of purchase. Now, yes, there are always exceptions. There are folks who don't frame homes for a living, or anything even like that…who own nail guns and air compressors. But if the manufacturers depended on those folks only to buy their products…they'd be out of business rather quickly. continued… Don