Msn: Online And A Bit Off The Mark

For the past several months, the established online services have thought of themselves as Romans facing the barbarians at the gate. Microsoft Corp., a high-tech Alaric the Visigoth, was on the brink of bursting in and stealing their customers.

Now that Microsoft Network (MSN) is no longer just a scary rumor, everyone can breathe a bit easier. An early look at MSN reveals that Microsoft's ability to make the service an integral part of Windows 95 is no substitute for the years of online experience enjoyed by its leading competitors, such as CompuServe Inc. and America Online Inc.