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CNN, Oracle launch custom news site
June 4, 1997
Web posted at: 5:43 p.m. EDT (2143 GMT)From CNN Interactive Writer Andy Walton
ATLANTA (CNN) -- In a keynote presentation marred by occasional glitches and missing glasses, Time Warner Vice-Chairman Ted Turner and Oracle Chairman and CEO Larry Ellison unveiled a new customized news web site at Comdex Wednesday.
The new site, dubbed CNN Custom News, combines content from CNN's existing web sites and over 100 other sources, sorted and delivered by servers running Oracle database software.
Ellison demonstrated the site, first by logging in under his account, then by walking Turner through the process of setting up a profile.
During the demo, the Windows PC running the site froze, giving Ellison an opening for two of his favorite pastimes: tweaking rival Microsoft and advocating network computers.
"Notice how much more reliable the network computer is," Ellison said, continuing the demo on one of his company's pre-release machines. "I hear some hissing back there. Obviously some Microsoft employees are here."
In Tuesday's keynote speech, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates decried the move toward network computers, saying "that's why they call them NCs: 'Not Compatible."
With his glasses misplaced backstage, Ellison had difficulty reading the monitor, and was prompted by audience members watching the large screens over the stage. Ellison's glasses were delivered to him on the second try; someone else's glasses were brought out first.
"Bad day for technology," he remarked once he could see the stock quotes. "The only good news I see is that Microsoft (stock) went down more than we did."
Turner began Wednesday's presentation by talking about his own problems with "information overload."
"I have my own computer on my desk with our stock and all the other stocks in the information and entertainment industry, and every few seconds it changes up an eighth, down an eighth, and it's kind of like playing a slot machine," Turner said. "It's hypnotizing, and when you watch it, you've lost 20 million, you've gained 20 million...can I afford to pick up the lunch check?"
During the demo, at about 9:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, the Custom News site still showed Tuesday night's close for Time Warner stock, as Turner pointed out. "We will be able to get it," Turner promised. "You will be able to get whatever you want."
Custom News uses ConText, an Oracle technology that, Ellison said, "can actually read and understand the English language." ConText, Ellison claims, will allow more precisely targeted searches than the keywords used by most Internet search engines.
At a press conference after the keynote, Ellison pointed out that Custom News pages are generated by the server, and can be used by any device with a web browser, including handheld PCs and set-top boxes. He contrasted this "thin client" approach with other news services, such as PointCast, that do more of the news processing on the user's machine. "This is much more appropriate in a world where bandwith is precious," Ellison said.
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