Videotex

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  videotex n. obs. An electronic service offering people the privilege of
     paying to read the weather on their television screens instead of having
     somebody read it to them for free while they brush their teeth. The idea
     bombed everywhere it wasn't government-subsidized, because by the time
     videotex was practical the installed base of personal computers could
     hook up to timesharing services and do the things for which videotex


     might have been worthwhile better and cheaper. Videotex planners badly
     overestimated both the appeal of getting information from a computer and
     the cost of local intelligence at the user's end. Like the {gorilla arm}
     effect, this has been a cautionary tale to hackers ever since. See also
     {vannevar}.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  videotex
       
          An obsolete electronic service offering people the privilege
          of paying to read the weather on their television screens
          instead of having somebody read it to them for free while they
          brush their teeth.  The idea bombed everywhere it wasn't
          government-subsidised, because by the time videotex was
          practical the installed base of personal computers could hook
          up to {time-sharing} services and do the things for which
          videotex might have been worthwhile better and cheaper.
          Videotex planners badly overestimated both the appeal of
          getting information from a computer and the cost of local
          intelligence at the user's end.  Like the {gorilla arm}
          effect, this has been a cautionary tale to hackers ever since.
          See also {vannevar}.
       
          [{Jargon File}]