Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!mtxinu!rtech!cpsc6a!cpsc6b!crs
From: crs@cpsc6b.cpsc6a.att.com (Chris (I'm Outta Here!) Seaman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: information on PRODIGY
Summary: Its not like that at all.
Message-ID: <513@cpsc6b.cpsc6a.att.com>
Date: 21 Apr 89 18:45:16 GMT
References: <9292@mhuxu.UUCP> <1470@cfa.cfa.harvard.EDU>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T (CPSC), Oakland, CA
Lines: 43

In article <1470@cfa.cfa.harvard.EDU>, verber@miami.mps.ohio-state.edu (Mark A. Verber) writes:
< 
< I have talked to Prodigy people a bit.  Prodigy is a Sears company.

IBM also has some stake in it (though I'm not sure how large).

< Prodigy is in few markets at this time.... mainly west coast at this
< point.  They are saying by the end of 1992 they will have local access
< in 99% of the US.  They are "looking in to" international access.

It is a fully graphics based interface, which allows it to display
fairly detailed pictures (in EGA/VGA modes).

< There prices are that low because you have to put up with ads on our
< screen. Whenever new things are being downloaded to your machine, rather
< than getting a spinning clock (a la Mac) or a message "Please Wait" you
< get ads scrolling across your screen (sigh).
< 
< Mark A. Verber

That's not the way it works at all.  The 'ads' never occupy more than 10-15%
of the screen, and are not a  substitute for a 'Please Wait' message.
In fact, during download periods, Prodigy simply says 'Working...' in a
small box in the upper right corner of the screen.

You also don't have to 'put up' with the ads.  Since they are small, they
don't contain much other than a picture and a few words.  If you *want*
to see more, you select the 'LOOK' icon, and a full screen ad pops up.
But you aren't *required* to see it.

I'm not trying to flame, but I much prefer the tradeoff of on screen ads
to $12-15 per hour connect charges.  I can stay connected to Prodigy
all evening (it's a local call), and incur no charge other than my standard
monthly fee.

Disclaimer: I have no connection with Prodigy/Sears other than as a
            satisfied customer.

-- 
Chris Seaman            |    o\  /o
crs@cpsc6a.att.com <or> |      ||         See "Attack of the Killer Smiley"!
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