Comments on: Comments on 15687

Post number 15687

mikhail — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 19:49:43 -0800

StarTrek.net is offering internet access (care of EarthLink), your own StarTrek.net email address with anti-spam service, and exclusive Star Trek content, as well as a few other "goodies", all for 21.95 USD a month. Destined to be huge, or will this fizzle and eventually disappear?

By: crankydoodle

crankydoodle — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 19:58:25 -0800

Now I like Star Trek as much as the next guy (or gal), but would I sign up for this? Probably not... It's sure to get singups, but I doubt that it will be huge.

By: madmanz123

madmanz123 — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 20:19:15 -0800

The cool part is this probably costs almost nothing to run. Just a good way to promote Earthlink and Star Trek.

By: Settle

Settle — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 20:30:14 -0800

This is just yet another novelty isp. Annnnnnnnnnnnother. Yes, I was just testing the key repeat rate.

By: skallas

skallas — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:02:15 -0800

Remember the Simpsons Free ISP? Me neither. Are novelty ISPs really bad ideas? A little while ago I was doing the math on how much money and how much effort would go into a small (1,000 modem bank) dial-up ISP and what the profits would look like. Its not bad, if you can get customers and are prepared to scale up, but what is going to drive people off of AOL and MSN other than being a couple dollars cheaper? Novelty. Like say an ISP that contributes a few hundred a month to some charity or organization. Everyone can vote once a month and pick who they want the money going to. Or perhaps the novelty of having a cool sounding email address. I really don't think this is good marketing. In the end, I think most people are a lot more comfortable with a big nationwide ISP than dealing with the local guy with a gimmick, unless the local guy can do something truly magical like provide decent access for under $10 a month and still stay in business. Startrek.net has earthlink to keep it afloat and even I have a novelty email address I sure many would kill for (no I wont say what it is) even though I'm not a fanboy of any sort. I think this thing might actually do well, as long as people know Earthlink is behind it all.

By: skallas

skallas — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:07:16 -0800

Also, startrek.net is the same price as Earthlink service. Still a pricey $21.95 per month, but having no premium over standard service is going to attract a lot of hesitant Earthlink trekkies.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:12:21 -0800

spam free email? Any idea how it works?

By: Satapher

Satapher — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:26:40 -0800

star trek sucks. (my only function here is to add pointless negative commentary, because hey, its good to hear all sides and opinions eh?)

By: pmurray63

pmurray63 — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:33:02 -0800

As a current EarthLink customer, I can tell you that it's not "spam-free," but it is a major improvement and one reason I have stuck with them. The filtering service is provided by Brightmail.

By: rhizome23

rhizome23 — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:34:10 -0800

Rest assured, Satapher, that your contributions are highly valued. Even when they suck.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 22:02:05 -0800

Hotmail has been offering spam-filters for quite a while now. It works pretty well (i'd say about 80% of spam goes in my junk mail folder while maybe 5% of the real e-mails i get wind up in there). And it's FREE. Anyone who would pay that much just for an e-mail address needs a serious lesson from Thorstein Veblen.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 22:09:32 -0800

Okay, didn't read the post carefully. Sorry. Still, i refuse to pay that much for a dial-up ISP anyways. find a nice $12/month local server, and you're better off anyway.

By: rhizome23

rhizome23 — Wed, 20 Mar 2002 22:26:06 -0800

cool link though, Ufez.

By: pmurray63

pmurray63 — Thu, 21 Mar 2002 09:32:48 -0800

Who said I was paying $21.95 a month? Not me. I have a plan that EarthLink doesn't advertise: $9.95 for five hours. That way I get the mailbox with spam filtering and nationwide dial-up access for when I'm on the road.

By: joaquim

joaquim — Thu, 21 Mar 2002 10:06:42 -0800

My favorite commentary on the StarTrek ISP. (The strips following this day's cartoon are pretty good, too.)

By: tdismukes

tdismukes — Thu, 21 Mar 2002 10:39:43 -0800

skallas - "something truly magical like provide decent access for under $10 a month and still stay in business." The local ISP I use costs $99 a year and provides better service than I used to get with MSN or Prodigy. Shop around, you might find something good.