Halo effect of the '@'

Published in The Financial Times on 3 May 1999

Halo effect of the '@'

Sir: Every stock with a whiff of the internet gets inflated internet stock valuation as indicated by Lex (April 29). In a few years we will no more be discussing e-commerce than we describe the use of the telephone in business as t-commerce or the use of the fax as f-commerce or the use of the postal system as p-commerce.

The Internet is just another better way of doing business and will be supplanted by a newer and better technology. Meanwhile good luck to the likes of BG plc (once known as The Gas Board) who feel that all they have to do is plonk a great big "@" sign in the middle of their advertisements (April 29) to capture the halo effect.

Subject: Freeserve

Quoted in The Financial Times' Lex column of 18 August 1999

"The hyper valuations of ISPs and internet portals could prove quite ephemeral. With just three clicks consumers can continue to use the free connection but avoid the host's unwanted portal.

To change the default home page on Internet Explorer: click "Tools"; click "Internet Options"; in the Address box type in: www.ft.com and finally, click Apply."

Subject: Bubble.com: or how to value an internet company

Interviewed by Jo Johnson for Management Today of August 1999 page 62

"Warren Edwardes, chief executive of consultancy Delphi Communications, maintains that in a few years we will no more discuss e-commerce than we now describe using the telephone in business as t-commerce or the fax as f-commerce."

details of Delphi's internet businesses