Commercial usage will change the basic nature of Internet, but said it will not be either “for better or worse, it’s just that more commerce is going to get conducted over Internet.” Competition for customers could increase access to Internet and Wolff is positive that having more users will drive connection prices down. “Absolutely, period,” he said. “The telecommunications industry is categorized by enormous economies of scale. All of that is independent of the NSF and what we’re doing.”
Predictor: Wolff, Steve
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for Library Journal, Michael Rogers interviews Steven Wolff. Rogers writes: ”Wolff agreed that commercial usage will change the basic nature of Internet, but said it will not be either ‘for better or worse, it’s just that more commerce is going to get conducted over Internet.’ Competition for customers could increase access to Internet and Wolff is positive that having more users will drive connection prices down. ‘Absolutely, period,’ he said. ‘The telecommunications industry is categorized by enormous economies of scale. All of that is independent of the NSF [National Science Foundation] and what we’re doing.'”
Biography:Steve Wolff was director of the National Science Foundation’s Division of Networking and Communication. (Technology Developer/Administrator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Library Journal
Title, headline, chapter name: Will Commercialization of Internet Help Libraries?
Quote Type: Partial quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web7.epnet.com/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=dbs+0%2C1+ln+en%2Dus+sid+762F51BE%2D3D14%2D4CFD%2DB0AF%2DB5BC65A42B0E%40Sessionmgr6+EBCD&_us=bs+TI++will++commercialization++of++internet+ds+TI++will++commercialization++of++internet+dstb+ES+fh+0+hd+0+hs+0+or+Date+ri+KAAACB2A00014957+sm+ES+ss+SO+7D24&cf=1&fn=1&rn=1
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Garrison, Betty