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Minitel Hits Twenty
An anonymous submitter writes "Minitel is now 20 years old, according to this article from BBC News: 'Calling Minitel a proto-internet may be a bit of a stretch, but it is not far off. Unlike the internet, Minitel is a closed network, based on the phone system of its owner, France Telecom. Using one of its prehistoric-seeming terminals, users can access a labyrinth of proprietary content, all of it determinedly low-graphics and designed for speed.' Slashdot has reported on Minitel before."
Calling Minitel a proto-internet may be a bit of a stretch, but it is not far off. ... all of it determinedly low-graphics and designed for speed.
All right, aspiring web developers and disgruntled dot-bomb employees. Your objective today is to modernize this archaic service: develop a functional implementation of Flash and JavaScript pop-under advertisements, then ensure that all original content is publicly inaccessible. Finally, schedule a decadent yacht party. We're going to party like it's 1999!
Do you like German cars?
From the article:
One new venture for example, known as w-HA, is working on a scheme that will allow online payments to be made within two mouse clicks
Phew! For a second there, I thought they were in trouble.
"'Calling Minitel a proto-internet may be a bit of a stretch, but it is not far off."
It has been said that Al Gore saw one of these when he visited Paris, and it inspired him to create the Internet when he got home.
Thank you, France! For the fries, and now for the 'Net!
Minitel is trusted not just because it is an integral part of French life, but because its closed network is guaranteed virus-free and hacker-proof
Both famous last words.
As an proud, God fearing, flag loving American, I hearby announce a US boycott against Minitel to punish France for its general cowardly, frogginess in the Iraqi affair. I will no longer use it to look up phone numbers or get train times.
Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated.
BTW, what the hell is an "Illegal Comment"?
I assume whoever wrote this never used Minitel, the darn thing is designed to keep you on line as long as possible so France Telecom can rake in more money
:-)
Many citizens of the United States refer to this service as "America Online."
Do you like German cars?
Hey, these are the French. It it didn't happen in France, it didn't happen.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
> Minitel is now 20 years old so, what is its webpage? :P
I'm a chainsmokin' alcoholic sociopath, so-ci-o-path
So when will the Internet be upgraded to support the same features?
Ade_
Big Bubbles (no troubles) - what sucks, who sucks and you suck
In the mid 80's I used to work during the summer in a bank in France. When suddenly all the computers went dead. No more network. The reason for this was that the minitel and the bank network were using the same lines and the minitel suddenly had a surge in communication. Why ? Because the first "minitel rose" services had appeared. The minitel rose was some rather expensive porn chat services and they became very popular.
So there you go. Internet, minitel, same thing.
Plus ca change, plus c'est pareil.
I'll do it for cheesy poofs.
Can we slashdot it yet?
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.