Fahmy says user-friendliness separates Channels Internet both from other Internet companies and other coffee houses. Though many Brown students have yet to make Channels a regular haunt, Fahmy is confident that those who try it out are hooked. Though Channels was nearly empty on a recent Sunday morning, it's been able to draw in crowds at other times. There were over 200 people here. Board games and books fill shelves lining one wall, and several magazines are set out for casual perusal.
Channels puts emphasis on helping first-time users overcome their fear and trepidation.
These terminals allow access to The New York Times Online, Switchboard and Virtual Emporium, which puts over 150 popular retail stores at the customer's fingertips. Someone comes in who has never used the Internet before and they type a name into Switchboard, and all of a sudden you see them looking so surprised because in five seconds they've located their best friend, all the way across the country or just down the street. All of a sudden, the Internet's not just a techy thing anymore. Channels Internet's concerns are not only for itself. The company is doing its part as a good neighbor, too.