W2.2 CompuServe, Prodigy, and AOL
CompuServe
| CompuServe was founded in 1969 (as Compu-Serv Network Inc) with its purpose to provide time-share access to computers through dial-in connections. In the mid-1980s, CompuServe was the largest consumer information service in the world. CompuServe is notable for developing electronic mail (email) in 1978 (and a WYSIWYG editor for email in 1992) and a form of online chat called CB Simulator in 1980. In 1989, CompuServe allowed email to be exchanged with systems outside its walled garden. CompuServe usage peaked in April 1995, with approximately 3 million users, but was quickly eclipsed by AOL (lower prices and superior marketing). CompuServe was always known for attracting a business-oriented and tech geek user base. CompuServe officially closed shop on June 30, 2009. Read about the history of CompuServe here Links to an external site.. | ||
| As you watch the old CompuServe commercials below, keep track of social media technologies that were introduced in each version. Which ones are still prevalent today in new forms? | ||
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CompuServe Commercial from 1987 Links to an external site. 
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| CompuServe Commercial (date unknown)
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| CompuServe Superbowl Ad (date unknown)
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Prodigy
| Read Prodigy: The Pre-Internet Online Service that Didn’t Live Up to its Name Links to an external site. (Michael Banks, Tech Republic) and pay attention to what happened when social technologies were introduced. Read more about Prodigy here Links to an external site.. | |||
| As you watch the old Prodigy commercials below, keep track of social media technologies that were introduced in each version. Which ones are still prevalent today in new forms? | |||
| Prodigy Commercial (1990)
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Prodigy Commercial (1990)
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| Prodigy Commercial (1992)
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Prodigy Commercial (1991)
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Prodigy Commercial (1995) Links to an external site.
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AOL
| AOL (built by America Online Inc.) was/is an online software suite providing the largest "online walled garden community" of its time. AOL had 30 million customers at its peak (in 2002). For those millions of customers, AOL provided the way to access the Internet. From its inception, AOL billed itself as the service for people who were unfamiliar with computers. AOL provided online games and chat rooms early on, and later was an innovator in instant messaging with its AIM product. Early users paid by the hour, and then later by the month. It is interesting to note that AOL purchased TechCrunch in 2010 and The Huffington Post in 2011. Read more about AOL here. | |||
| As you watch the old AOL commercials below, keep track of social media technologies that were introduced in each version. Which ones are still prevalent today in new forms? | |||
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AOL Commercial from 1997
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| AOL Commercial from 1999 (version 4.0)
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AOL Commercial from 2000 (version 6.0)
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| AOL Commercial from 2001 (version 7.0)
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AOL Commercial from 2003 (version 8.0)
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