[LOGic] callbooks

Mon Sep 7 10:53:26 EDT 2009

>1. It's questionable if one really should given that there is a paid 
service available.
The callbook site is NOT free, regardless of whether or not you pay 
out-of-pocket for the subscription. He has two business models he is 
pursuing:
1. Pay for XML access. Not a bad deal, and it works great. 
2. Sell ad space. And it's free _to the public_. But it's not 
free-free. I've spent thousands there myself. Under this model, he WANTS 
visitors. LOGic is actually helping him. LOGic forces you to look at 
the web page, then click a button to continue. I should be his best 
friend! We go way back -- I was one of the first if not THE first to 
support the CD-ROM database, and I told him how LOGic works. Up until 
now I have been totally up-front about it. If he asked me to stop, I 
probably would.
I know that someone wrote a .DLL that would plug in in place of the 
CD-ROM .DLL, and give free access to the web site data without seeing 
the ads. That is totally wrong. Maybe that's all he's trying to prevent.
There is plenty of money to be made from online advertising. Look at 
google, myspace, facebook....
And I think having two models is a good business decision. It is giving 
the largest number of consumers what they want. "Free" access with 
advertisements, or inexpensive fast paid subscriptions. 
 >It's of questionable value. I, for one, am irritated by guys who on CW 
or particularly digital modes refer to me by the name on the site 
rather than the one I just sent in the text of my message.
This isn't the only online callbook site available. Like the automobile 
and the television, they are here to stay in one for one another. If 
he made web access unavailable, and XML access too expensive, someone 
would eventually start something else.
Tnx & 73,
DH