wares

While in the phase of "brochureware", firms are having homepages that distribute static company and product information in one-way, broadcasting fashion.

I call the beginning of the World Wide Web the "brochureware" phase.

Prior to the focus on self-service, corporations designed their Web presence with a "brochure" mindset--and in fact, industry jargon for such sites was "brochureware." Organizations posted their products and services on their Web sites for customers to see and review.

Effective two-way communication is essential--a capability not provided by brochureware sites.

If the appraiser has "brochureware" on his site, i.e., little more than basic information about his business and contact details, the crash of a system probably will mean little more than a few headaches, and perhaps some expense in getting the system operational again.

This, despite an army of office productivity technologies designed to eliminate the clerical functions of data entry: powerful desktop computers, fast Internet connections, the ubiquity of information download, and the shift in Web site functionality from the static electronic postings of "brochureware" advertising products and services to the active multimedia extensions of the corporate brand.

A simple 'brochureware' site can be set up and maintained very cheaply: a few hundred pounds will buy one that looks great.

The initial stage is to develop a website to give some information about their firm and key products, termed "brochureware" (Pricewaterhouse-Coopers 2001).

Several years ago, the bank had a static "brochureware" site.

However, electronic 'brochureware' is being replaced by sophisticated, interactive websites that deliver a more personalised online experience to visitors.

Often called "brochureware," these sites are inexpensive and require little or no maintenance, but they aren't very interesting and offer little reason for a visitor to come back a second time.

It also maintains all of the Web-based advantages of the original NXTbook used to publish magazines, catalogs, brochureware, or any other print products in a digital format.

"We knew we needed a better way to share knowledge with our agents on the Web, but we wanted to do more than just put out brochureware," says John DeMello, VP and treasurer for Barnstable County Mutual Insurance (thebarnstable.com).