"On-line advertising has one advantage over all other media: it is very selective.

"It is wasteful to advertise a new movie to people interested in motorcycles, because the advertiser can't be sure whether or not the searcher watches films. "But if the ads are shown only to those enquiring about film reviews (and equally motocycle ads go only to those searching motorcycle topics) then the advertising is targetted directly to the correct group.

"This is cost-effective and powerful and most commercial databases in the future will carry some level of advertising."

Ray Hammond, The On-Line Handbook, 1984

 

The On-Line Handbook was the world’s first book to explore the commercial potential of the internet.

Published by Fontana in 1984, the book provided advice for all of those who wanted to go on-line to explore the potential of the early internet. It included internet addresses for the first major corporations who were beginning to exploit the power of public data networks

What Reviewers said about The On-Line Handbook

The first useful manual for on-line connection Daily Mail.

This book spells out the real uses of a home computer. The Guardian.

Every computer user should buy a copy of this book. Educational Computing.

Truly prophetic Digital Television

Order The On-Line Handbook from Amazon.co.uk

Return to Ray Hammond’s home page