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From: David.Loudon@f41.n267.z1.fidonet.org (David Loudon)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Controversy Over Prodigy Pricing
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Date: 13 Nov 90 17:51:42 GMT
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 > using Prodigy as a support group.  What special features
 > does Prodigy offer as a support group that other networks
 > do not.  Was it truly the flat rate monthly fee?  Or are
 > there other attractions? Just curious.
  
   Prodigy, being an upstart computer service, will most likely have all the others beat hands down before too long (having the advantage of modern equipment).  Unfortunately, Prodigy also has a thing for nickle and diming the user.
 
   For those who don't know what the controversy is:
       Prodigy as a nationwide pay BBS by Sears and IBM
       They have E-Mail, and a few people took advantage of
         the service for personal advertisement... by
         addressing a single memo to "ALL," literally
         thousands of people would receive the memo, and
         the original sender paid close to nothing.
       So prodigy implimented a 25 memo per month policy,
         with a 25 cent fee per memo above 25 (I think
         those numbers are correct).  Addressing a memo
         to "ALL," could now cost hundreds.
       It didn't seem fair to many users that Prodigy changed
         the terms of the contract mid-stream, so they
         protested to the 'deaf' ears of Prodigy.  More
         important, Prodigy obstructed the use of its service
         for the purpose of members to protest the issue.
 
   Thats where it appears to sit right now.  Prodigy will not
concede on what it currently considers to be a fair estimate
of E-Mail needs for the average user.  Protestors really have
no recourse.
  
   As for right now, Prodigy really doens't offer any enhanced
services (existing networks are far superior for SUPPORT
purposes -- since they are already well established).  That
can all change with time (but thats a fate we accept when we
use technology -- that economics and sometimes politics are
involved).
                                             --- David S. Loudon ---

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