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Clipserver severs dotcom name

But the future for ebiz is bright

A British press clippings service has turned its back on the "new economy" and discarded its dotcom moniker.

From today Clipserver.com is to be known as plain old Clipserver plc or just "Clipserver".

Funny, really when you think that Clipserver only changed its name to Clipserver.com last year. Before that it was known as Prominent Pages.

Critics might argue that Clipserver tagged on the dotcom suffix merely to cash in on the Net revolution. El Reg couldn't possibly comment.

However, it is yet further evidence (not that any is needed) that the dotcom hysteria that afflicted so many is now being successfully treated and eradicated.

That, in effect, is what was said at an Intel-sponsored debate in London this morning on the future of e-business.

However, any predictions about ebusiness were served with a large portion of hindsight and just a dash of "we never believed the hype you understand".

Richard Dracott of Intel Online Services said: "The Web is not a miracle source of money."

Dele Sikuade of Web developers, IXL, was a little more thoughtful: "There is a change in perception about what ebusiness is and was seen, I believe, as an 'universal equaliser'."

He argued that the idea that the Web provided a level playing field for small businesses to take on corporate giants has proved wide of the mark, despite the obvious exceptions.

Gordon Graylish, a big cheese at Intel EMEA plugged the view that ebusiness is about the "fundamental restructuring of business".

But he conceded: "The industry made some fundamental mistakes over the last couple of years."

On the plus side, he said the dotcom boom had accelerated infrastructure development by as much as ten years.

Of the future of ebusiness, the five-man panel appeared united in its belief that the focus of ebusiness will be in the cost savings, efficiency gains and improved lines of communication brought about by the business-to-business sector.

The business-to-consumer sector - arguably the areas that drove the dotcom boom - will be left behind...for the time being at least.

However, the highlight of this Intel sponsored debate wasn't the wisdom and insight of this collective group of experts. Nor was it the warm bacon rolls that accompanied the breakfast pastries and hot coffee.

No, it was the sight of one of the panellists (he shall remain nameless) failing on two attempts to open the screw cap on a bottle of mineral water. ®

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