From: dave@gergo.tamu.edu (Dave Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: PRODIGY New and improved
Date: 29 Dec 1992 16:28 CST
Organization: Geochemical & Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: gergo.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

In article <1992Dec26.022520.169067@bmug.org>, Steve_Costa@bmug.org writes...
}( My kids loved the stories with pictures. My reason for
}cancellation was simply because Prodigy is not substantially different from
}AOL and CompuServe, which I am already a subscriber.)
} 
}You can't be serious......Prodigy is $13 per month with a $2 charge per month
}for 9600 baud access. CIS is $12 per hour and much more per hour at 9600 baud.
}AOL is $5 per hour and doesn't even have 9600 baud access. If your  pocketbook
}couldn't tell the difference between Prodigy and CIS I bet your kids can.

AOL either has now or should have RSN (I'm fairly certain it is the former)
9600 baud access, though there is a surcharge (don't know how much). I don't
have a 9600 baud modem, nor a local high-speed connection, so I haven't paid
much attention to that.

CIS & AOL both have *MUCH* greater appeal (for many) than Prodigy -- they offer
file downloads (may not matter much to those with Internet access, but quite a
few files which eventually appear on the 'net originated on one (or both) of
these services.

The online support for Mac & PC hardware/software vendors is much more active
on AOL/CIS. This can be quite useful, especially since many vendors have their
own library areas for distributing updaters (i.e., Maxis posts updaters for
their Sim games, as well as allowing users to upload saved games that might
offer interesting challenges to other players).

Yes, CIS is quite expensive per hour (there is a much cheaper monthly flat
rate -- ~$8.00 -- which doesn't include file downloads, but they are still
available if you choose to grab a file) but many people believe it is worth
the money, especially after adding InfoMgr or Nav.
AOL is currently testing a number of payment plans to determine what people
want and how best to manage it all -- currently Mac users pay $6/month for
one free hour of use ($5/hr beyond that). PC users pay $10/month for three
hours ($4 or $5/hr after that -- PC "charter" members get the lower rate, as
do "charter" Mac & Apple II members). AOL is testing both package rates (like
the $10/month for 3 hours) and flat rate plans.  

Overall, though, each person has their own opinions on which service is the
"best" -- personally, I prefer AOL, though CIS has a few things which attract
me to it as well. CIS, though, does not offer enough that make it worth, to
me, the high hourly rate, nor the monthly rate since I would be interested in
downloading files. In the long run, we each decided what fits our needs while
keeping in balance with what we can afford. If people cared only for the cost,
then Prodigy would perhaps be more popular. As it is, though, CIS and AOL (and
any other online service) are heavily used because a large number of people
feel the services offered are *worth* the higher cost. I know I do. 

 - Dave Martin - Geochemical & Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M - 
 - DAVE@GERGA.TAMU.EDU - DBM@AOL.COM -- My views, my life, my right... -