Predicting the Death of the Internet
"But first the Net needs to evolve and users need to move beyond their Web-only thinking, says Forrester. Today’s wimpy Web is like early television programming, which was just radio with a picture of an announcer, the report’s author, Forrester Research Director Carl D. Howe, says in a statement. The X Internet, however, could make users’ online experiences more engaging; for example, consumers might shop online using a Doom game interface that lets them shoot deals they want, Howe adds."
I can’t think of a stupider, less appropriate example (the Forrester release even mentioned a corporate buyer using a Doom shopping interface). And someone should clue in Forrester that users didn’t wait for them to explain the Internet and the web were two different things. How can they rehash a statement they already made, only in dumber terms, is way beyond me.
By the way, if the web is "dumb, boring, and isolated" to speak in their own terms, Forrester might want to take a hard look at their own site. The only outbound links I found were to articles where they are quoted (since their business model relies in part on establishing "credibility" through press citations). But it works, looking at how profitable they are. It doesn’t look like they’re too dependent on failing customers.
Anyway, I’m ranting, everything they output is not as bad as this "shoot your bargains" stuff (I can’t believe it’s not dated April 1st). Besides, I should mention I somehow compete with them (albeit on a much smaller scale) since I advise corporate clients on similar issues.
