CompuServe Thread

#Changes at CIS!!!

2 messages in this thread
#208452From: Steve AhlstromAug 15, 1995 9:30 PM
CompuServe is expected, within the next year or so, to have revenues higher than their parent company, H&R Block. CompuServe is doing extremely well right now, but this is a very competitive and changing market. I'm sure there is some fear (probably a LOT of fear) at H&R Block that a flat tax bill, Armey's current bill or something very similar to it, will be passed by Congress after the '96 election. That would put H&R Block out of the tax preparation business. -sja
#208511From: MARTIN SKOWRONSKIAug 16, 1995 8:54 AM
Steve, <<Armey's current bill or something very similar to it…would put H&R Block out of the tax preparation business.>> I have thought the same thing, which is why H&R Block/CIS needs to be paying close attention to Dataquest trends in the hardware market. Psion is continueing to gain market share in the palmtop area. Psion realized that the public wanted more than just a pen entry system, like the Newton, so they kept the keyboard. Psion also developed a powerful proprietary script language called OPL. Programs written in OPL can be extremely compact. ReadCIS is an OLR that has many of the same features as AP and does so with an overhead of <70k. The next Psion will incorporate voice recognition technology as well as a RISC CPU. If CIS does not support a graphical interface for the Psion, I bet AOL will. Then their is the Amiga. Is it being reborn, or is it going through its death throws. Maybe, CIS is being wise in taking a wait and see attitude. But, it has been my experience that successful enterprises take chances, rather than jump in after the fact. I'm sure that Microsoft would love to see CIS become a PC/MAC only service and play "follow the leader." Cheers, Marty ProActive Images Inc.