It’s the night of the office party, and the staffs of each of the Digital City Studio productions– ?’web, Total New York (a hipster online magazine), WebGuide (a search engine and listing service), and Digital City New York (a forthcoming local guide)–have gathered to toast another calendar year of producing original Web content. For äda’web, online since 1995, this is the 12th“Web year” of its existence. (They say a Web year is three months, although this may be slowing down.) Some names have been changed to protect against retaliation. James (production manager, Total New York): I’ve been responsible for the collapse of a number of New Media companies. I was at Voyager. Leigh Perrin (ex-Web executive): That was your work? James: Yup. Leigh: And now you’re going to destroy Digital City? James: Well, I’m just at Total New York. Leigh: So you are working your way in, searching for the main support beam. James: As soon as I find it, kaboom. Then I’m out the door. Leigh: Soon there aren’t going to be any targets left in the U.S. The money people are wising up. James: They are? Leigh: Yes, in the U.S. the Web is going to be service, service, service. But Scandinavia. Scandinavia is just getting started. James: Do you know that for a fact? Leigh: Yes, I was just at a conference and the head of a big Scandinavian publishing company said he felt that the secret of the Web was original, innovative content. James: Right on! Leigh: Yes, they’re going to go for it. James: Won’t anybody warn them? Leigh: No! And after Scandinavia … (his eyes widen) Japan! James: Japan? I’m afraid not. Leigh: Hell, yes. The Japanese are going to go crazy for it. James: (dispirited) It would take a hundred of me to bring down Japan.
Vivian Selbo,
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