Re: [off-topic add-on] Re: [mv] minivend and sql, it is not true

[Birgitt Funk <birgitt@minivend.com>]

On Wed, 27 Oct 1999, Raj Goel wrote:

> 
> > that based on a MV GPL ? 
> 
> 	That's because MV _IS_ a strong product.  You don't throw that kind 
> of resources behind a weak performer.  We've got MV load-balancing,
> scaling quite nicely and basically, set out to build a complete portal
> 'ala Yahoo or Zshops on the cheap.
> 
> 	We've done it, and what this *REALLY* shows is the strength
> of MV, Mike's far-reaching personal vision (I consider Mike a friend,
> so I might be biased) and the power of open source.
> 
> 	Perl, Apache, MV, Solaris, Oracle8 - tools of champions.
> 
> 	Hmm...kinda like the '99 Yankees (who just won the World Series!!)
> 
> > I am pretty sure that from early on MV was supposed to become ONE or THE
> > e-commerce solution for the independent (at that time most probably
> > also still small) ISP. Something every ISP could use and compete
> > with. I think that was the main motivation of Mike Heins to make
> > it GPL, so that everybody could get into the game. (I hope that
> > I am not too much guessing here, but I don't believe so. If I am wrong
> > I send my apologies in direction to Mike Heins).
> 
> 	We're a small ISP...only 12 people...but that didn't stop us from
> investing our energies into building a full portal.
> 
> 	Townspeak.com is really a proving ground...and a damned good one.
> 
> 	When we launch Hindustan.com, you'll really see what it's all
> about...then again, launching a portal for 1,000,000,000+ people
> is no small task ;-)
> 
> > Does this mean that an individual ISP/developer can't compete
> > anymore at this kind of price tag ? 
> 
> 	Nope.  It just means, MV can scale across economic and performance
> boundaries, quite nicely.  From day one, I knew this baby could take on 
> Intershop, et al without breaking a sweat...and it's proven us right.
> 
> 	What this DOES mean, is that the smaller ISPs and developers may
> want to work with the larger, more professional outfits, as opposed to 
> working all alone in the field.
> 
> 	At BrainLINK (yes, we do many things), we're looking to build
> a team of Minivend Gurus (demi-gods?) to prove to the world that MV
> can take on and BURY Intershop, iCat, etc.
> 
> 	If you're interested, contact me.  We have a lot to learn and
> a lot to teach.
> 

The nice thing about all your answers, especially Karl's, Racke's
and your's is that it goes down like honey. First time I hear in public 
on this list that what I thought back in 1996/7 MiniVend is capable of
doing in the hands of the right persons is actually true. 

Thanks folks, now I don't feel that embarrassed anymore to have been
a MiniVend supporter by heart (unfortunately not so much by skills
and brains - but what not is can still come. 8-)) since I saw the first
time that it can handle 800 000 titles on a meek old Pentium 120 MHz 
Linux box very fast four years ago. 

I guess that the only issue remaining is not at all a MiniVend
question but a general business question. Someone asked me in private
how, for example, the vertical market of booksites like Amazon.com,
bibliofind, bibliocity (in Germany libri.de, amazon.de, bol.de etc.)
affect the business of individual online booksellers. Though I
certainly feel not to be the right person to answer that with
any authority I would like to give you my observations.

Bookmarkets in the US and Europe are quite different in structure.
I would say that a well established, independent, larger brick 
and mortar, specialty bookstore can still make a nice additional,
profitable income in adding a good website (based on MV only of course
 - all the other stuff is too expensive, too slow and to much
crashprone - 8-)) be it in the US or Europe. Emphasis being on
being an established, offline, specialty bookstore.

Smaller independent general bookstores (there are not so many in
the US anyway) can play with a website, but I don't think it is either
a big profit, nor a big loss, dependent on how clever they were
to use MV, Linux etc on their own. In any case it is only an
add-on which one needs these days (like the second car in the
fifties or sixties).

Individual online only booksellers (without a prior existing
offline bookselling business) has not much chance anymore to
make a living out of their sites. 

There are always the computer book online sites popping up and 
because the US is so huge, these sites might still survive because
the only thing left to compete with are the shipping costs
and the direct customer service. Otherwise they compete
themselves to death in discounting down to the bottom. The
big chains can easily wait out their online deaths and in the
end actually raise and determine higher prices again.

Ironically, if, for example, MV would have been involved in developing
the Amazon site (hey, who knows, may be it was 8-)), an open
source and no-cost software would have directly helped to create
one of the most monopolistic, international book businesses in less 
than three years. Considering from where the open source movement 
and GPL software started out that is at least for my feeble mind
quite confusing. 8-)

And because I don't like to be confused anymore and hate to handle
800 000 title booksites by myself, I am happily abusing the list
to announce to any of you guys ( who seem to be the right persons
to handle the larger site developments ) that I am giving away
my old domain name "booktraders.com" to someone who is willing
to make a booksite which will challenge Amazon.com.

Basically, I have already all my books bought I need...and not ONE
of them online, just sold them there.  8-)

Have fun ! 

Birgitt Funk