The business of providing access to the Internet is one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry, with a compound annual growth rate of 86 percent a year. It is projected to reach $860 million in 1997, according to Goldman, Sachs & Company … When Microsoft releases Windows ’95, complete with “one-button” access to the Internet through the Microsoft Network, it could potentially send a stampede of new users onto the Internet. While analysts predict that other network access providers may eventually pick up some of this new business, for now it’s UUNet’s game … “We could be a flea on the elephant’s back or a flea on the dance floor. We went out and got an elephant. If Microsoft’s successful, we’ll be successful.”
Predictor: Adams, Rick
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for The New York Times, Laurie Flynn explains a deal made between UUNet and Microsoft. Flynn writes: ”UUNet is to build the underlying network that will link consumers of Microsoft’s planned consumer online service to the global Internet computer network. As part of the deal, Microsoft bought an unspecified minority stake in UUNet, based in Falls Church, Va. … There are industry skeptics who contend that UUNet is striking a Faustian bargain, selling its sould to Microsoft. But other analysts and Internet luminaries see it as a golden opportunity … The company expects to provide services in about 150 cities by the end of the year, thrusting UUNet into the lead of the Internet access market … Current clients include America Online and Compuserve, whose online subscribers receive their Internet access through UUNet. The business of providing access to the Internet is one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry, with a compound annual growth rate of 86 percent a year. It is projected to reach $860 million in 1997, according to Goldman, Sachs & Company … [UUNet] was founded by Rick Adams, a computer scientist who in 1984 had invented a key Internet technology known as SLIP, a special dial-up modem connection making it possible for individual PC users to connect to the network … When Microsoft releases Windows ’95, complete with ‘one-button’ access to the Internet through the Microsoft Network, it could potentially send a stampede of new users onto the Internet. While analysts predict that other network access providers may eventually pick up some of this new business, for now it’s UUNet’s game … ‘We could be a flea on the elephant’s back or a flea on the dance floor,’ Mr. Adams said. ‘We went out and got an elephant. If Microsoft’s successful, we’ll be successful.'”
Biography:Rick Adams founded UUNET in 1987 to provide commercial Usenet and UUCP access, based on an experiment by himself and Mike O’Dell. (Technology Developer/Administrator.)
Date of prediction: February 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure
Subtopic: Pipeline/Switching/Hardware
Name of publication: New York Times
Title, headline, chapter name: Internet Server Takes a Big Step
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Section 3, Page 10, Column 1
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney