Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!decwrl!limbo!taylor
From: ranc@crcge1.cge.fr (Daniel Ranc)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: The next 15 years
Message-ID: <1072@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 9 Aug 90 01:57:00 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Lines: 25
Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

Hi, out there in the cold!

I just read the messages on future forecasting etc.  An interesting
fact would be nice to add specifically on the conclusions regarding
"home terminals". 

The French Telecom provided FOR FREE (!!!!) EVERY (yes) phone customer 
a little terminal (called minitel). The minitel has a 1200/75 baud 
modem allowing to connect to:

- the phonebook server - no more phonebooks at home, just dial 
  and find the number of your choice.

- hotel, train, airplane reservation systems

- AFP news 

- last but not least, a number of servers called "pink minitel"
  where persons can dialog anonymously and let freely express 
  their fantasies...

In this sense, the home terminal forecast was true in fact. 
But users do not program with them : they use it as a service.

Daniel Ranc