Ray Van Eng (05/22/96)

CompuServe is finally giving in to market pressure and decided to move its entire content of online information services to the world wide web by the end of this year.

Though they says that they have no intention to totally eliminate the proprietary portion of the service, the new web based service will be fee based but can be accessed using a web browser and an Internet connection. Pricing has not been determined.

This latest migration to the web which follows the example set by AT&T's Interchange and Microsoft's MSN will leave America Online the only major online services that still requires custom software and dedicated modem link.

CompuServe further adds that they will spend a very significant amount of effort (80% according to them) to develop Internet based services. Industry experts have predicted that online services companies such as AOL and CompuServe would have to at least change their business model at a time when there is a massive number of users jumping onto the Internet bandwagon.

All in all, CompuServe could bring a total of 6 million of its users to the Internet world wide web environment which some estimate has a user base of about 35 million globally.

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