http://www.flickr.com/photos/bartvandijk/4362990052/Jaime le MinitelFabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

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1. Minitel?

http://boutique.ina.fr/video/sciences-et-techniques/nouvelles-technologies/CAA7800628501/informatique-rapport-nora.fr.htmlIn 1978, the president of France ordered a report on the future of computing technology. It described the merging of computer and telephone technologies to enable data service for consumers, and the deep economic, political and social change they would cause. It also argued that France needed to invest and take the lead or be left behind.

Received with skepticism by the public (as you can see from the expression of the host of this news report), it was correctly announcing the forthcoming digital revolution.I have here a report,a report that's quite... quite daunting.Report on the computerisation of society.Telematics it's called. It's the new era, announced in this very report that has been published today by Mrs Simon Nora and Alain Minc. A report written at the request of the President of the Republic

1978, Rapport Nora Minc. Suggest combining computer science with the telephone to provide data services to consumers.

Development

Two research centres (CNET & CCETT) combine forces. Several small scale experiments conducted.

Thomson Vidotex Terminal used during the Vlizy experiment, 1979At this time cutting edge companies were still state owned, so they could be directly directed to experiment following this reports recommendations.

The first version of the service used a TV set, before integrating the monitor into the device itself.

M.I.N.I.TEL.

Medium Intractif par Numrisation dInformation TLphonique(= Interactive medium by digitising telephone information)MINITEL was born!

Collection of services offered by servers to thin client

Minitel 1, 1982

Tech specs

DisplayText matrix, 25 lines of 40 columns, 8 levels of greyInputAZERTY Keyboard with function keysBandwidth1200 bits/s download, 75 bit/s uploadStorageNone

Its tech specs were really modest

Fabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

Requirement / Pricing model

InstallationPlug and playTechnical requirementAny phone lineInitial Investment requiredNone!PriceFree then around 1 / month + 0.16/min, taken from the next phone bill

but its low requirements and innovative pricing model made it very accessible.

Fabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

2. Using a Minitel

Prsentation du Minitel, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBnr6e7jUhs

Phone line, connexion noise

The killer app, a phone directory, shows its typical interaction model:- plain text fields forms- dedicated hardware keys for next, previous, delete, help and submit.

Using minitel

Screens with basic ASCII graphics loaded line by line, and you could pick navigation options by entering a character code.

Importantly, you could send these key before the screen was fully loaded so for frequent tasks yo could memorise the sequence and go much faster.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18610692

Fabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

3. Mainstream impact

Peaked in the 1990s, but still going strong during the 2000s, until the plug was pulled in 2012!

9 millions in 2002, estimated reaching 25M users out of a 55M population

36 15 AnythingPhone directoryShopping (mail order and transport)Transport schedulesStock tradingBankingExam resultsCompany database accessEntertainment (quizzes)Even 36 15 Santa ClausSMS, email25 000 services at its peak

Fabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

Minitel Rose

Another killer app was Minitel rose(= pink), adult services that had billboards ads everywhere.

Fabien Marry - @Fabien_UX

>50% in 1990

The experience they offered was a simple messaging system between users, but the space they offered and the perceived anonymity opened new horizons while the expensive (and delayed!) billing per minute made them a goldmine for providers.3615 ULLA sur le minitel, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fmsF6PDXwc

goldmine - anonymity

4. Why keep using a Minitel... in 2012?

Meet Christian MarryMy dadOptimal name for SEO camouflageQuite technophobicDie-hard minitel user (eventually)

This is where he lives, on the French border with Belgium, in the middle of the Ardennes forest.When carriers say they cover 99.9% of the population well this is the 0.1%!

Even now, getting mobile phone signal is rare and depends on the winds. Sometime you get a French networks, sometimes a Belgian.Closest bakery is 5 miles away. Dadd bank is 20 miles away, open only 4 days a week.Yet he could bank immediately anytime thanks to his cheap simple to use and cheap MINITEL.

Minitel was more affordable and usable than a PCNo entry cost VS 1200 for a PC.No setup, always works.Instant start.No viruses, no software updates, no maintenance EVER.Stop working? Exchange it for free.Mono tasking with few options at a time.

This is the white pages on MINITEL, pretty much as they were from 1984 to 2012.A few fields, simply cant get it wrong.

This is the current modern version, a monstrosity of a webpage filled with irrelevant garbage.

Is this what 30 years of technological progress have given us?

I just wanted my uncles phone number.

5. Legacy

LegacyA country familiar with online uses...... but clinging to a dying platform for too long.At the origin of the JPEG file format.Inspired many, from S. Jobs to A. Gore.Many key players of the French web made their money on Minitel (rose!), including Xavier Niel, who went on to fun the Free ISP in France and his innovative start up school 42 (https://www.42.us.org).

Legacy: a business modelSubsidised devices, charge for services.Carrier / editor revenue sharing.Carrier billing.Devices with zero or low maintenance.Stripped down software highly focussed on key task.In many ways, MINITEL pioneered the business model that would later enable the Smartphone revolution.

5. Key lessons

Keys to a platform successTest at small scale and iterate firstReduce barriers to entry (financial, technical, contractual)Have a killer appBuild-in a business modelProvide access to pornGovernment support and monopolies can help... until things go global.

Minitel First design

Relentlessly focus your product on solving core user needs.

Would that line of text deserve waiting 3 seconds to load it?

Dont let your product get obese overdosing on nice things.

Simpler often means more usable.

Start with lowest tech, and use progressive enhancements.You could write a book on why thinking MINITEL first would help you make a great product. - with respects to Luke Wroblewskis Mobile First ;-)

For my product, service or website

Merci !Fabien Marry

@Fabien_UX