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Show Practical Information Needed The Salt Lake Tribune FI 1 Sunday, Pe binary 12, 1384 Data Base Revenues Soar With Computer Buffs By Robert Snowden Jones Cox News Service After years of appealing mainly to hobbyists, consumer data bases appear to be catching on with home computer users. Revenue growth is expected to double this year to $80 million as more home computer buffs subscribe to services that permit them to make hotel reservations, check stock quotes and shop from their easy chairs. But growth will probably be modest at best, say industry analysts, if the services dont provide more practical information to subscribers. Its information that is going to sell these things, said Steven B. Weissman, an analyst with International Resource Development Inc., a technology research company. And it has to be information that you cant get anywhere else or it has to be cheap enough so you dont mind subscribing even if you seldom use ers are hobbyists. However, the company said it is beginning to get more users. As computers become less expensive, said Richard A. Baker, youre CompuServe spokesman, getting inseeing the He added that telephone volved. er for time used to access data rates are a concern, but as more people begin to use computers to get LET US HELP SOLVE YOUR CASH FLOW FINANCE BY GIVING YOU FREE ON YOUR RECEIVABLES ONE-MONT- H bases. The hot button for data bases said Baker. will be education, Through data base bulletin boards, customers will be able to take information, especially home banking and shopping, a large vocal group will form to protest high rates. He said telephone companies might be forced A adjust rates low CALL FOR DETAILS ACT NOW FOR MONTH OF FEBRUARY ONLY COMMCRCrntmCTORS courses from instructors many miles from their homes, he said. Annual Hate Annual Yield Retirement Accounts $800 minimum $28,000 minimum Regular Savings Certificates it. term 42-mon- th Weissman said that CompuServe Inc., a subsidiary of H&R Block Co., and The Source Telecomputing Corp., a unit of Readers Digest Association Inc., have benefited from the growth in home computers. Although International Resources Development projects revenues will continue to grow, it doubts that consumer data bases will be used in every home, as some have envisioned. A lot of the recent success can be tied to the personal computer boom, Weissman said. But whether the information they provide is sufficient to attract and hold the consumer is still uncertain. Robert D. McLean, an analyst for d Predicasts Inc., a Cleveland, research concern, said rising telephone rates brought on by the divestiture of American Telephone & Telegraph Co. could also hinder the growth in consumer data bases. Consumers are willing to pay for data base services now, but how much will they pay when phone rates go up? McLean said. There are so many cheaper ways to get this information. News ReExcept for Dow-Jontrieval, a service that is aimed primarily at investors, consumer data bases like CompuServe and The Source contain a smorgasbord of information ranging from wire service news and airline schedules to computer shopping, games and banking. Customers pay a subscription fee plus access charges based on the time of day and amount of time they spend on line. In hours, fees are typically about $5 an hour. Data bases, large storehouses of information encoded on magnetic disks that can be sorted and searched by computer, have been used by businesses for years. CompuServe, for example, has run a commercial data base for 14 years. But not until 1979, when desktop computers began to catch on, did CompuServe run a service for computer hobbyists. Since the large mainframe computers that operated the data base usually sat dormant at night, CompuServe was able to offer discount rates to encourage home computer owners to use the system. Data base companies disagree with Weissmans and McLeans assessments of the services problems. CompuServe, which signed up its 100,000th customer last month double the number a year earlier concedes most of its home custom- - 534-060- 6 30-mon- term th If youre not receiving 12.55 on your savings account, see a First Security Financial representative for details. 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