January 13, 2000
Web posted at 6:40 p.m. EDT

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Chat Moderator: Welcome DotComGuy!

dotcomguy: Thank you for joining me here at cnn.com. It is truly exciting to be here in a chat on one of the world's largest news websites.

Chat Moderator: Can you give anyone who may be unfamiliar with you some basic information on what you're attempting to do here?

dotcomguy: For one year I will be living in my home in Dallas, TX, and surviving solely from goods and services purchased from the internet. We invite the world to watch my journey at www.dotcomguy.com, interact with other dotcomheads, and share experiences about e-commerce.

Question from: JuliaGoolia: In your quest to lock yourself in your home in order to prove the merits of e-commerce, did you ever consider what this may do to increase the freedom of those who are homebound due to disabilities? Also, do you think that your experiment may be seen as taking the situation of those who are homebound a little too lightly?

dotcomguy: That is an excellent question. In fact, before the journey began, we thought about, and are continuing to look into, the charities that dotcomguy, inc. will support through the year. In fact, I have received many e-mails from people with unfortunate circumstances who are home-bound. They are very encouraged by my journey and its ability to show the world that one can lead a normal and productive life from home.

Question from SusieSouth: Have you kept your location within Dallas a secret? Do you worry that someone will become obsessed, find your location, and harass you?

dotcomguy: We do try to keep our location a secret as much as possible. We do hope that anyone who does learn our location will respect not only my privacy, but that of my neighbors and the entire neighborhood.

Question from Firehouse: Up to right now have you been able to get everything you've needed to survive and have you had to return any items?

dotcomguy: Yes, I have had to return some items, or I should say will be returning some items. It seems that shoes are very difficult to size over the internet, so I will be returning some shoes to get a different size.

Question from Candyce: What has your shopping experience been like so far? Any downsides?

dotcomguy: So far, the shopping experience has been very easy and helpful. The only problem I have had so far are user errors where I have not updated some of my information with my new address and phone number. This is an important point about e-commerce. Just as when you move and must set up a forward address with the post office, on the internet you need to update your personal information at sites that you frequent.

Question from rodney: Can you watch any TV or use the mail? What exactly are your limitations?

dotcomguy: I can do anything provided that it is something that I order over the internet. For example, when I order my television, it will be on line, as with satellite service. As far as mail goes, that is delivered to my door anyway.

Question from Go-seki: Your efforts to live "solely" off the Internet is admirable. Is using a mobile phone a cop-out? Shouldn't you try to use your PC for ALL external communication?

dotcomguy: That is an excellent point. In fact, over the coming months, I will be working with Piper Jaffray in testing voice-over IP technology as well as sharing my experiences at a keynote address at a conference in February. As far as using a mobile phone or in this case a cordless phone, I did order it over the internet, and it is very important to use that for interview such as this. I think as the year goes on, the technology for voice over IP will continue to improve, and by year's end I would hope to be able to do all my phone calls online.

Question from Tazers: I think that what you are doing is a great idea. I am a network administrator myself, and am always looking for bigger and better ways to expand the service I provide my users. One of the biggest concerns I see about e-commerce is security of personnel information especially credit card information. Can you explain some of the limitations and protections involved with online personnel information?

dotcomguy: When you are purchasing online using a secure site and standard encryption technology, you are actually safer than when you use your credit card in person at a store, where you hand that credit card to someone who could very easily steal that information. That is not something we think about very often. When done properly, internet transactions can actually be safer, and more difficult to steal information than in a real live transaction.

Question from nobody: Since you are homebound for a year, what happens if you get sick? Can you get prescriptions on the internet?

dotcomguy: Fortunately, I do have a doctor that I am able to e-mail and he will make housecalls. If something more serious would happen to me or a family member, we would deal with that situation appropriately. As far as prescriptions are concerned, there are many places that you can have a doctor's prescription filled on line.

Question from M50CT: If someone breaks in and steals your computer, how will you order another one?

dotcomguy: That is an excellent question. Fortunately, I already have two computers, and I have 16 cameras throughout the house, plus security system, so it would be rather difficult for someone to do that.

Question from KrisC1: I, too, do a LOT of shopping online. I commend you for doing this. I think that it will eliminate a lots of fears that non-computer types have about doing this. Has there anything that you want that has been difficult to get yet?

dotcomguy: One of the things that I have not been able to find a way to get on line is cash. Fortunately, I do not have much of a need for it. I have also noticed that the larger home improvement sites, i.e., Home Depot and Lowes, do not have their e-commerce sites set up. This is a perfect example of how dotcomguy.com will be a perfect catalyst to e-commerce. As we discuss the lack of service in this area, these companies or another start up company will fill this need because it is being discussed in such a public forum like dotcomguy.com.

Question from Bilbo: Have you seen The Truman Show or ED TV? Do you feel your life in any way mimics someone put on the spot like that?

dotcomguy: I did see Truman Show when it first came out, but I did not see ED TV until about two months ago. I don't think either has a direct correlation to my journey because: 1) I chose to do this, 2) I know that it is happening, and finally, we are not delving into the most intimate parts of my life, i.e., the bathroom.

Chat Moderator: What do you plan to do with the rest of your life after this? We understand that you're doing this, not for yourself, but for the sake of showing people how to use e-commerce for very basic, everyday things - but how will this affect you when the project is over?

dotcomguy: When the one year journey is complete, dotcomguy.com will continue to be a forum for e-commerce, a place where the novice, the more experience, and the e-tailer are able to interact and take e-commerce to a new level of quality and security and usability.

Question from ak42k: Isn't the real appeal of DCG going to be the "voyeuristic" nature of the show and not the rather mundane nature of e-commerce?

dotcomguy: I think that definitely gets people to the site initially. As I have learned from my e-mails and discussions with viewers on line from across the world, they are very excited about the educational and interactive aspects of dotcomguy.com.

Chat Moderator: How did YOU first discover the Internet?

dotcomguy: That is an interesting question. It is almost like "how did you first discover water." You get to a point where it is so much a part of your life, that it is impossible to remember your first interaction with it. I have been online since the early days of Prodigy, AOL, and CompuServ in their pre-internet form. My first experience with the internet was most likely using gophers at school.

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Question from RebeccaP: How do you feel what you are doing is going to aide large company's such as Hewlett Packard who are looking to make e-commerce more personal and simpler to use?

dotcomguy: I don't think that I personally will aide large companies to make e-commerce more personal and simpler to use. But I think our users, the dotcomheads, will be able to provide a wide variety of suggestions and ideas to all companies that they will end up helping these large companies create better and more efficient websites.

Question from Ricky: What internet site has proven the most beneficial to you while you are doing this?

dotcomguy: I would have to say that mall.com, because from there I can get to virtually any company's internet site. I am not the greatest speller, but I can always find the store I am looking for from mall.com.

Question from Aurora: I think what you are doing has great possibilities for educating persons who are "shut in" due to illness. Do you have any activities/chats planned which are targeted to them?

dotcomguy: My production crew is hard at work on a variety of programming, both educational, informative, and entertaining, and some of that programming will focus on people who have unfortunate physical situations which cause them to stay at home.

Question from melnphil: Do you use any of the discount codes that are widely available when placing your orders, or do you pay full price for everything you order? And do you stick with certain e-tailers that are working with your project, or do you buy wherever you find the item you are looking for?

dotcomguy: First of all, I am free to buy from any site I wish to use. It is important that I use a variety of sites to keep current on trends in e-commerce. So far, because of the overwhelming support and interest in this project, I have not been able to be the best "shopper." As my schedule becomes more regular, I will become more price and sales conscious, and share theme with my viewers on my website under "dotcomdeals."

Question from Buffbabe: Where are you getting all of the money to buy all of this? Sponsors?

dotcomguy: I think if you look at our webcast from the perspective of any television or radio show, and if you think of my home as the set, the products I buy are props, and all these items are paid for by the production company, dotcomguy, inc., which is responsible for maintaining enough sponsors to keep the dotcomguy webcast on the net.

Question from Candyce: Do you attend a virtual "church?"

dotcomguy: On Sundays, I do go to various religious sites. One of the great things about the internet is the ability to share information and ideas with people around the world, especially in regards to religion.

Question from Tazers: Out of all the areas of expertise that the internet and computer technology makes available for study, what drew your interest to e-commerce in particular?

dotcomguy: I think the lack of general acceptance of e-commerce as a safe and effective form of shopping really frustrated me. Because of that, I wanted to find a way to give people a comfort level with shopping online - more than just wasting my breath in talking with them day in and day out. I think this journey will do just that.

Question from southern_spirit: Do you go on virtual "dates" with women? What are you doing about your love life??

dotcomguy: Right now I have been too busy to date anyone. If I were to meet a special one, I am a little old-fashioned, so I don't think a virtual date would be appropriate. Instead, I would have a limo pick her up and bring her to my home, where we would have a nice romantic dinner, and possibly spend some time with other friends.

Question from AzureRose: How are your friends and family dealing with all of this? Are you finding your relationships with them different in any way? How do they feel about all the cameras/attention/media on you? Are some friends or family staying away from the "DotCompound" because they value their privacy?

dotcomguy: Sure, there are some people who would rather not come to my home, which I understand and respect. That is one of the reasons I changed my name - to avoid over exposing them to any potential media attention. Overall, my friends and family are extremely supportive, whether it is in person, on the phone, or via e-mail. Without their love and support, this would not be possible.

Question from DWYoung: How will you define your journey as a success? Number of hits on your website? Do you have any straight financial backers as opposed to strategic partners? [13:30]

dotcomguy: The only financial backers we started with was the money out of my pocket. As far as defining this journey as a success, if we don't lose any money, make it through this journey, and have, in some small way, affected the number of people using e-commerce and improved the quality of e-commerce, that will mean that this has been a success.

Question from Buffbabe: What are the other reasons you changed your name? Are you going to have that name on your tombstone?

dotcomguy: Actually, I am sure that eventually, when I decide to settle down and start a family, I will change it back. I also did it to keep people from focusing on who I am and focus on the journey and e-commerce.

Question from Kat: Did your previous employment at UPS have anything to do with this endeavor?

dotcomguy: My employment at UPS did not have anything to do with the project, however, it was instrumental in gaining their support as a sponsor at the last minute in December.

Question from Kaleran: Do you think your experiences of living off the Net will effect the publics attitudes towards online commerce?

dotcomguy: I hope that it would, and affect those attitudes in a positive manner, and that people would utilize the internet, realize the possibilities and simplify their lives so they can spend more time with family and friends, more time traveling, and doing the things they want to do.

Chat Moderator: Why do you refer to what you are doing as a "journey"? You obviously aren't going anywhere...are you taking US, as the general public, on a journey?

dotcomguy: the reason we chose the term "journey" was that we need a word other than "experiment." As many of our more advanced users know, we are not really proving anything. Many people already realize this is possible.. Many, many more do not fully realize the possibility of the internet. So, yes, we invite them on this journey to learn more about e-commerce.

Question from Jordan: What kind of message are you sending the kids of the world. Stay in you home, don't meet real people or make real friends & be a shut in. Other than e-shopping what message are you sending to the kids or al people just getting on the internet. Will they lose a bit of themselves to there computer..

dotcomguy: I would hope not. I hope people would realize that I am going to the extreme to demonstrate a point. I would hope that no one would ever choose to live this life-style, but rather, would leverage the benefits of e-commerce to simplify their lives. Many parents and teachers out there have written me and said that they are so excited by this broadcast, and the fact that it is family oriented, positive, educational, yet also entertaining. For many people out there, that is a breath of fresh air.

Question from Haley: When writing your journal do you find yourself writing things differently because you know it will be read by others, or are you being forthright in your entries there?

dotcomguy: Of course I am aware that people will be reading the journals. Some of my entries are my thoughts to the viewers about issues and concerns that many of them have. I try to be as honest and as open as possible without losing my own personal identify.

Question from Kaleran: Do you think that online commerce will have an adverse effect on real life storefronts of competing companies who do not have an e-commerce-capable website?

dotcomguy: Definitely not. I think that e-commerce will enhance many retailers and third parties will come in to provide a way in which smaller stores are able to benefit from the growth of e-commerce. The physical shopping experience will most likely never be replaced, but it will be enhanced through online transactions.

Question from Kari: Have you come across any difficulties yet living solely off of e-commerce?

dotcomguy: The only difficulties I have come across so far would be - I would have to say buying shoes on line. It is very difficult to fit a shoe, especially with the wide variance among manufacturers. If anyone has any advice on how to better size your foot to order shoes on line, please e-mail me.

Question from Go-seki: Having created DotComGuy, isn't this "performance art" would you regard yourself as a performer or an artist?

dotcomguy: I don't really view myself as a performer because I try constantly to continue to be the same person I have always been. None of my conversations are scripted. Many times I don' know who my guests will be, and what people are watching is real. There is no contrived drama or suspense. I think that is the difference in entertainment that people enjoy. It is more entertaining than educational television networks.

Chat Moderator: If people stop being interested in just watching someone do their daily routines, in an effort to continually keep people interested in your journey, will you have to create new plots twists to keep the numbers up?

dotcomguy: No. I think that goes against the entire premise of what we are doing. As we demonstrate and educate users about e-commerce, our show will keep people coming back to the site, much like educational programs such as HomeTime on PBS keep people tuning in, even though there are no real plot twists.

Chat Moderator: Do you think that doing these online chats is more or less preaching to the converted? Why don't you do more interviews on TV, so people NOT online can learn more about it?

dotcomguy: That is an excellent point. The online chats are more for my benefit, and I have actually only done three third party online chats, but I do spend quite a bit of time in the chat room on our website. Out of the 300 hundred interviews I have done around the world since December 9, 1999, only three have been online, and I will continue to participate in interviews on television, radio, and print as long as possible.

Question from nikoteen: What if a local cable TV would like to get your video-feed on their program in real time?

dotcomguy: that would be an excellent question for our production crew, and they can find out how to contact our business office from our website.

Question from bantokey: Why should we feel completely safe with e-commerce in light of the recent developments concerning CDUniverse.com?

dotcomguy: Just like there are times when a bank is robbed, and we continue to use banks, the same should be true of e-commerce. Your bank account is ensured by the FDIC, and your online transactions using a credit card protect you to a maximum loss in the US of only $50

Question from SusieSouth: What's the most embarrassing thing you've done in front of the camera?

dotcomguy: I think the most embarrassing thing I have done in front of the camera was collapse into a folding lawn chair.

Question from AZ: Do you think that people in the near future will all depend on computers and internet for their living? [13:47]

dotcomguy: I think that asking that question would be like going back in time and asking if we would depend upon the radio and television to live. Computers will become an integral part of our lives, but they are more of an enhancement, not a requirement.

Question from Kaleran:dotcomguy: Again, I think it is going to be a merging and a consolidation and a complement of services from internet and broadcast into a form that is very difficult to predict, especially in light of the recent AOL merger. But, yes the way we receive entertainment will definitely change and improve to a more interactive level.

Question from mrbeck: Do you believe that the Internet is headed towards being heavily taxed, or even taxed at all?

dotcomguy: I think that is one of the great things about dotcomguy.com. As a community of online shoppers ,we will be able to discuss important issues like this. An issue as important and large as internet taxation, I don't think anyone person can solve. But, if we get together as a community, it will be easier for us to find a solution that does not hurt the local taxing authorities, yet at the same time does not stifle the economic growth the internet has given to our economy.

Question from nikoteen: As of today, does your journey look like you thought it would be before starting it ? Is it easier ? More difficult ? Surprising ?

dotcomguy: I would have to say that it is nothing like I thought it would be. It is easier and surprising and most of that is related to the online chats that I am able to maintain 24 hours a day. I think one of the reasons why people get nervous or self-conscious when on camera is that they don't know what their viewers are thinking. But I always know what my viewers are thinking, and this makes it a tremendous difference in increasing and simplifying the ease of this journey.

Question from MacPhisto: Where do you see the internet in say, a hundred years, how is your "journey" going to help shape and mold it's evolution?

dotcomguy: I don't think as an individual it is possible, nor even right, for me to predict the future of the internet. The internet, since its inception, is about creating a place for people around the world to share and evolve ideas. And the direction of the internet is in our hands as an online community. Together we will mold that future.

Question from Daemon: Isn't it possible, that as people begin to spend more time and money into the growth of internet trade, that we will lose touch with advancements in real life dealings?

dotcomguy: I think that when used properly, online shopping frees up your time to enable you to have more interaction with people in real life, to have more time to do things that you enjoy, and that really make life the experience that it is.

Question from Zuvy3: Have you noticed a lack of selection when you shop online? The online stores I have shopped in don't seem to have as wide a selection as regular stores .

dotcomguy: I think much of that depends on the particular store. For instance, your boutique shops like Nieman-Marcus do have a smaller selection. However, many of the larger companies like Gap.com do have an incredible selection. As technology evolves, the more specialized and higher end stores will be able to supply a more accurate depiction of their in-store inventory than they are today.

Question from RebeccaP: I personally think that the internet is the one place where there are no national lines and barriers. Do you think that eventually we will be going towards a one global community that will be the result of this internet society?

dotcomguy: That is a big question. I think that we have the ability to determine that future, and take nationalities in the direction that we want it to go. If people do not want to lose those national lines, then they will remain in place. If people want to remove the boundaries, then yes, it is certainly easier and more possible with the internet. It will all be determined by the thoughts and feelings of all people from all nations.

Question from Kat: If you could change one thing about e-commerce, what would it be?

dotcomguy: I would want more people using e-commerce, and sharing with online companies their thoughts on how to change and improve their sites instead of having our quality of experience determined by focus groups, market research studies, and other distant interaction that are not real.

Chat Moderator: Thanks for joining us, DotComGuy!!

dotcomguy: I really appreciate the opportunity to talk to people around the world in such a public forum as CNN.com. I would be honored to do this anytime in the future.

Editors note: CNN will be checking in with DCG via the internet once a month during the CNN Saturday Morning news program for the rest of the year.