(Editor's Note: PointCast stands as one of the Web's early failures—a shame; we rather liked the product. A descendant of the original concept can be found at www.infogate.com.)

Version 1.0 of The PointCast Network (PCN) recently became available, so we decided to see how it performed in our work environment. The Windows-based program—Macintosh and UNIX versions are being developed—has added some new capabilities and content; it requires some 12MB of free space, and PointCast recommends at least a low-end 486 processor. As before, the software is free—PCN is advertiser-supported.

The underlying premise is straightforward and rather elegant: the PCN software ventures out onto the Internet, on a schedule which you have determined, to gather news and information in various categories. After it logs off, it presents you with this information in a nicely designed split-screen arrangement somewhat reminiscent of Netscape's frames. (Speaking of Netscape, compatibility comes built in—you can use the browser to follow hyperlinks from the PCN screens or, conversely, you can run PCN as a plug-in within Netscape.) After a given amount of time has elapsed—which you also determine—PCN switches to its "SmartScreen" screen saver mode and begins to float headlines, scores and other information across your monitor.

PCN's news and information sources are pretty good. The news comes from Reuters; Version 1.0 has added daily news from Time, People and Money magazines, as well as local content from the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe for users in those markets. The range of information is also fairly impressive: you can customize PCN's reporting in six categories (News, Companies, Industries, Sports, Weather and Lifestyle, with sub-categories for each).

Performance is something of an issue, however. The software is slow on a 486 machine, and it can take up to 15 minutes to perform an update over a 14.4 modem—this could become an expensive proposition if done on a regular basis. A Pentium with a 28.8 modem would definitely be more comfortable; direct Internet access would be better still.

Then there's the subtler issue of PCN's ultimate utility and value. PCN is an innovative program, with a high novelty quotient—for some, this may be sufficient. But after we'd used the program awhile, we found that the screen-saver headlines began to seem random and disconnected, like a series of billboards flowing by, or a TV broadcast with the sound muted. Since there is already quite enough free-floating information in the world, PCN's SmartScreen technology may not be quite as smart as we thought.

(Reviewed May 12, 1996)