gph@hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) (11/08/89)
I am considering buying PRODIGY, because Wells-Fargo allows electronic banking via PRODIGY. Does anyone have it? Is it worth it? Thanks in advance.
johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us (John R. Levine) (11/09/89)
In article <19530001@hpsemc.HP.COM> gph@hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) writes: >I am considering buying PRODIGY, because Wells-Fargo allows electronic >banking via PRODIGY. Does anyone have it? I tried Prodigy for a few months. > Is it worth it? No. I found it to be painfully slow, even at 2400 baud, and the offerings were mostly catalog shopping, some headline news and weather, and some fairly amteurish bulletin boards. I looked at some of the electronic banking and it was incredibly expensive. Perhaps if you bank at Wells Fargo anyway it might be useful, but until they figure out how to install a cash dispenser in my PC, I'll pass. (The ads didn't bother me much, since you don't have to pay attention to them.) -- John R. Levine, Segue Software, POB 349, Cambridge MA 02238, +1 617 864 9650 johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us, {ima|lotus|spdcc}!esegue!johnl Massachusetts has over 100,000 unlicensed drivers. -The Globe
DSB100@PSUVM.BITNET (David Barr) (11/09/89)
In article <19530001@hpsemc.HP.COM>, gph@hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) says: > >I am considering buying PRODIGY, because Wells-Fargo allows electronic >banking via PRODIGY. > >Does anyone have it? Is it worth it? I have been a member for almost a year now and I like it.. It has a highly graphics-based format which makes the software inherently slow, but they employ some very effective data compression schemes to make it bearable. There are many different services offered and they are adding more constantly. Also, there are one of the few services that *really* listen to user's complaints and suggestions. They have to, they're in tough company. One thing many have noticed as a 'drawback' of sorts is the fact that they don't offer (or plan to offer) downloading of PD software. But at the fixed price per month (no connect charges) you can't beat the value. I only wish they had a local number up here, now that I'm at school... --- David Barr DSB100@psuvm.bitnet or psuvm.psu.edu | CompuServe: If I had a job, I'd use a disclamer.... | Just Say No
keane@paul.rutgers.edu (John Keane) (11/09/89)
Just to add my impressions: I've been a Prodigy user for about 5-6 months. It _is_ slow (if you think it's bad at 2400 baud, try it at 1200), but has many redeeming virtues. Chief among these is the price, which at $10/month can't be beat. I can get my stock quotes, talk with a number of friends who don't have access to Internet, make and check airline and hotel reservations, and catch up on the headlines. Once in a while, I even read the ads. I like it, and think can only get better as more people use it. For anyone with access to a "real" net (i.e. Internet), it seems a little silly, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for anyone who's not online already.
jerry@starfish.Convergent.COM (Gerald Hawkins) (11/10/89)
>In article <19530001@hpsemc.HP.COM> gph@hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) writes: >>I am considering buying PRODIGY, because Wells-Fargo allows electronic >>banking via PRODIGY. Does anyone have it? >> Is it worth it? - - I received one of the free Prodigy service start up kits last night. I found Prodigy relatively easy to start up. You don't have to know much of anything about computers or modems to get going, which is of course rather insulting :-) . Unfortunately, the service concentrates heavily on fluff. I can make my own travel reservations--but I could instead go to a travel agent who gives me a rebate from her commission. I can bank at WF, but I don't like WF bank. I can get stock quotes, which is nice, but so far I can't figure out how to get quotes for my mutual funds (they offer information on only a few selected funds). I can check the weather for 100 cities, but the depth of information is rather shallow (just a two day forecast, no rainfall totals, no extended outlook). There were some selected articles from magazines and newspaper headlines. The headlines were about the depth of article one hears on a drive-time radio station (KCBS, etc.). I wish I had read a _Consumer Reports_ article a week earlier. There was a Gene Siskel movie review for something I certainly would rather skip; apparently his reviews are not archived on the service. I looked and looked for an encyclopedia. I did not find one. I guess I may call their 800 number and tell them why they should have one. My reasoning is that it is silly for me to spend $400 on an excellent set of encyclopedia which will be badly out of date in a few years. Why not get information which is always up to date from an on-line service? I found the graphics screens to be rather slow, but I expected worse. Since there is no per-minute charge, the speed is not such a big deal. The advertising on every screen is a nuisance but can be ignored. You see 1500 advertising messages in an average day--how much difference can 25 more make? But then, why pay to see advertising when you can see it free on TV? All in all, I was disappointed with Prodigy and I will certainly cancel the service when my free month expires. " I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me. Said I, 'But Joe, you're ten years dead.' 'I never died' said he. " Jerry ( jerry@starfish.Convergent.COM ) -----
rls@texhrc.UUCP (Bob Simmons) (11/11/89)
In article <19530001@hpsemc.HP.COM>, gph@hpsemc.HP.COM (Paul Houtz) writes: > I am considering buying PRODIGY, because Wells-Fargo allows electronic > banking via PRODIGY. > > Does anyone have it? Is it worth it? > > Thanks in advance. I too received one of Prodigy's startup kits and tried the service for a month for free. It was worth it. Others have mentioned the fluff and heavy emphasis on advertising, and I can do no more than echo their disappointment. One of my chief complaints was that the bulletin board software still leaves a lot to be desired. You can see only three headers per page and each page takes several seconds to rewrite (even at 2400bps). Messages you select to read are presented to you in little bites of 11 40-character lines (with, again, the delay between pages). Doing the equivalent of vnews' "l" would take hours. I was hoping somebody would give Compuserve enough competition to bring their rates down a bit, but if I were CI$, I would only chuckle at this pretender. Summary: if Prodigy offers to let you try it for a month for free, take 'em up on it. But don't go out and buy a starter kit. Bob Simmons (posting for myself) Exploration & Production Technology Texaco Inc Houston, Texas
ewagar@pnet01.cts.com (Eric Wagar) (11/11/89)
To put it briefly, no. I got Prodigy as a freebee when they introduced the
service to the San Diego area. I tried the service for the six months they
gave me for free, and by the end of the six months, I wasn't calling very
often. The system is **very** slow. The graphics are CGA quality, and in
color only if you have an EGA or better card. Users only have a number, such
as 647325, in contrast to the more normal user ID's ("ewagar") on this system
and others. The conversations are extremely lame. In fact, in the PC
section, most of the conversation centered around how to change some of the
dumb features of the system (it does a very good job of blocking out the
printscreen key). All in all, the system lags behind what you are using now
in the way of user friendliness, and intelligence of the average user. When
the commercials on TV show people who look like it took them weeks to figure
out how to turn on their computer, they are perfectly describing their target
audience.
But, the banking feature might be worth $10 a month for you; if so, go for
it, otherwise, forget it.
Eric Wagar >>>> ewagar@pnet01 <<<<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
INET: ewagar@pnet01.cts.com ARPA: crash!pnet01!ewagar@nosc.mil
UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd | ucsd | nosc}!crash!pnet01!ewagarzech@leadsv.UUCP (Bill Zech) (11/11/89)
I have subscribed to PRODIGY for over a year, and I use it typically once a day. I also subscribe to CompuServe and BofA HomeBanking, and obviously read USENET. So I'm kind of an on-line junkie.... Prodigy is certainly slower than reading USENET, but remember that Prodigy is on-line, whereas USENET is batch oriented. Also, Prodigy is graphics-based, so the bandwidth requirements are higher. Try getting a weather map from USENET! There are many bulletin boards, and more are always being added. In fact, there is often better information available on it than USENET because the target audiences tend to be more specific, and you don't find the stupid flame wars that often tie up this net. News reports, weather, sports, etc. are all updated very often, and so are more current. USENET reaches me typically with two days delay. I've used the buying services once, and sometimes request product literature from the ads. But I mainly use it for E-mail with some friends, and for just general entertainment. The fixed fee of 9.95/mo makes it reasonable to spend lots of time wandering around in it. Also, the fees drop if you pay in advance, just like magazines. It works out more like $8/mo. You can save a lot of money in phone bills alone if your out-of-town friends and relatives are online. If you really want to do banking from home, BofA's system is probably better, because it ties in automatically to a full- featured personal accounting system, so your PC can do most of the work. (Monogram Software's $&Sense, and MoneyLine). I was originally quite disappointed with Prodigy, but as I have witnessed lots of changes and improvements, I feel it's worth sticking with it for the time being. As long as it continues to improve, great! If it stagnates, I might drop it. -Bill
dewey@pnet02.gryphon.com (Bill Dewey) (11/12/89)
I, too, used Prodigy during the freebee period and was less than enthused.
During a previous incarnation, I was one of the developers on Citibanks home
banking system and really missed it when I left the company. Prodigy
interested me because of the gateways to several other banks. At the time
they were all in the East and Southeast so I declined. Then I ran into a
service call CheckFree. I have been using it since last January and have no
major complaints. Unlike the other services, you can do business from any
bank. The only drawback here is that you cannot directly access you account
on-line to determine exactly what has/hasn't cleared. If you are looking at
Prodigy only because of the banking, I would suggest that you examine
CheckFree also.
Good Luck,
Bill Dewey
UUCP: {ames!elroy, <routing site>}!gryphon!pnet02!dewey
INET: dewey@pnet02.gryphon.comcasey@well.UUCP (Kathleen Creighton) (11/13/89)
I can't add anything to what's already been said, however my understanding
is that Wells Fargo home banking is an additional $12/month. Add that to
your monthly Prodigy fee of $9.95 and whatever you're paying for your
checking account, and it seems like an expensive way to go.
--
Kathleen Creighton {pacbell,hplabs,apple,ucbvax}!well!casey
San Franciscobrb@briar.philips.com (Brian Bertan;6309;4.88;$0202) (11/17/89)
I am usually immune to advertising gimmicks, but the PRODIGY commercial broke through my defenses. It was something like "It's the ninth month [pregnant woman at computer].." They went on to describe how everything was under control. Well, my wife is in almost in her ninth month, and she will soon be leaving work and staying home all day, so I suppose she might benefit from the service. I sent in one of the 10 or more free offer forms they have mailed. I installed it a few days ago, and played around with it. I like the weather service; it's much better than the maps in the local papers. I went on to read consumer reports. My wife was watching, but she has not yet had the chance to use the system. She is completely computer illiterate, so it will be interesting to see how she likes it. I think the graphic display is wonderful for novices. The Menu system is acceptable, if somewhat unusual. INSTALLATION: I am running out of space on my fixed disk, and I have a 1.2 Meg Floppy. There is no procedure for installing prodigy on a single 1.2 Meg Floppy, even though it can easily fit. I called their technical support. They told me to change their batch file, but there advice was incorrect. I finally got it to work anyhow. The next problem was that my system died after exiting PRODIGY. I called tech support again and they correctly diagnosed the problem. OPINION: (1) Take the month free trial. (2) Their advertising firm deserves a bonus. NOTICE: I have no other dealings with PRODIGY other than trial subscriber. Brian Bertan Philips Labs 345 Scarborough Rd. Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 (914) 945-6309 brb@philabs.philips.com