This summer, more than 3 million Americans were sending e-mail, arguing in forums, flirting in chat rooms, and wandering the Net on AOL, with thousands more signing up every day. The service expects to have more than 5 million subscribers online next year.
Predictor: America Online
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article in Wired magazine, writer Mark Nollinger writes of America Online: ”It took a while, but Quantum Computer Services kept its promise. Better known these days as America Online Inc., the once-obscure start-up has shot past its deep-pocket rivals CompuServe and Prodigy to become the most popular online service on the planet. AOL has increased its membership fifteenfold in the last three years, sending revenues – and the price of the company’s stock – soaring. This summer, more than 3 million Americans were sending e-mail, arguing in forums, flirting in chat rooms, and wandering the Net on AOL, with thousands more signing up every day. The service expects to have more than 5 million subscribers online next year.”
Date of prediction: September 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: America, Online! America Online Has Been on a Rocket Ride, Now it Would Like to Morph Into an ‘Interactive Service Company’ Before Microsoft and the Web Eat its Lunch
Quote Type: Paraphrase
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.09/aol_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Stotler, Larry