THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER’S OLIGOPOLY

“This is a strange type of monopolistic practice. It doesn’t immediately move to monopoly price. But there is a lot at stake here in terms of control of content and innovation.”

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, encountering Microsoft’s version of late, really late, there-goes-my-bus capitalism for what seems to be the very first time, The New York Times, 6 October 1997

WHERE’S THE “INSERT FIST” BUTTON?

“By putting a personality onscreen that winks at you and can smile at you, we are expanding the interface to allow for very natural ways for people to share information with the computer.”

Tandy Trower, director of Microsoft’s advanced user interface design group, on the resurrection of Bob as “Microsoft Agent,” New York Times CyberTimes, 2 October 1997

IT’S NOT THAT WE’RE FLAILING FOR A BUSINESS MODEL

“It’s not because banners aren’t a good source of revenue, because they are. It just seems that commerce is the next right step for us.”

Rick Boyce, Wired Digital’s senior VP of advertising and commerce, on HotBot’s new Shop Wired cobranding venture, Advertising Age, 29 September 1997

THE INTERNET CIRCLE-JERK — REVEALED!

“We found it a bit embarrassing to be writing so much about Shift Control, when the access stats showed us to be the only ones who were reading it.”

British Net pundit Danny O’Brien on the Guardian‘s avant-discarded Web site, Wired News, 30 September 1997

FOR SECURITY CONSULTANTS, MAYBE

“Traditionally, applications used to happen within the firewall, but now they are being deployed outside. This is a huge market opportunity.”

Marimba CEO Kim Polese, on her company’s role in growing e-commerce, News.com, 29 September 1997