emulate3.com is the second inception of my personal web space to grace the ether that is the World Wide Web. Are you enjoying my sensationalism so far? Some may recall my previous effort, disassociated.com.au, it first “went to air” in 1997.

I’ve been thinking recently about all the changes that have occurred during that period, 1997 to 2002 (the disassociated years?). Both personal, professional, and beyond. Not to mention all the accompanying promises, hopes, and missed opportunities.

I still love doing this, web design, or whatever you define it as, but the feeling is different now. It doesn’t compete for my complete attention any more. I make a time and space for other things. For example, once I used to “follow” an idea I had at 9pm until all hours of the night.

But then it’s all part of a natural progression isn’t it?

So lets see. In 1997 the web was really starting to become common knowledge. Ok, I know there are people out there who have been “on-line” since 1969 or something, but you stay out of this, ok? The web was, thanks to many a spin doctoring sales executive, being proclaimed as the answer to everything.

Indeed it was a strange world of door to door web sales people canvassing all manner of businesses and organisations attempting to provide them with a piece of this new found action. Opportunities not to be missed abounded. For a price, mind you, but that’s another story.

The hype was all the same, and trotted out relentlessly and with little variation, regardless of who was on the receiving end, whether that was a multi-national or the milk bar around the corner.

The facts were beyond dispute, you understand. There were, in 1997, 90 million people, with the number increasing daily, using the Internet. That’s a massive potential market, isn’t it? A “properly executed” web presence for your business is as good as 24 hour a day, seven day a week, advertising. Just set and forget.

Furthermore, realize that if you don’t get your company an on-line presence quickly, your competitors will instead seize the initiative. This will of course lead to you being perceived as “behind the times” and “reluctant to innovate”.

Mike, the proprietor of the local milk bar had a few questions however. “Sure, 90 million people might see my web site, but will 90 million customers travel here for milkshakes?” Well some might. And, “Do I really need a continuous on-line presence, complete with a shopping trolley, in case someone wants to order an e-milkshake?”

“My business is local not global, and I doubt existing customers would even visit a website for my business. I have no need for such a gimmick!”

I suspect the web spin-doctor would have used his fast and smooth talking skills to hasten his exit from the milk bar, rather than answer Mike’s questions. Mind you Mike could have gone global, franchised his e-milk bar idea, and a made a fortune during the dot com boom of the disassociated years.

Another missed opportunity! Oh well.