1. Oh-oh. Bits Don't Need Floor Space. ... In explaining the phenomenal value of Internet companies, Bill Gross of Idealab, comments "Knowledge moves at the speed of light; molecules move at 600 miles per hour with Fed Ex." This comes from a New York Times (Jan 10, 1999) article that featured a graphical comparison of Internet companies versus some of America's "best known companies"--five companies each with approximately equal market values. In gross terms, Internet companies occupied about 1.25m sf versus 75.7m sf occupied by traditional companies ... Here are the details.

America Online has a market capitalization of $66.4b with 10,000 employees occupying 1m sf versus General Motors with a market capitalization of $52.4b, 600,000 employees and 2.2m sf (office space only). Broadcast.com has a market cap of $3.4b with 250 employees occupying 28,000 sf versus Wendy's with a market cap of $2.9b, 10,600 employees, 200,000 sf of headquarters space and 5,391 restaurants. Ebay is valued at $11.8b, with 130 employees in 22,000 sf versus Sears, Roebuck with a market cap of $16.7b, 296,000 employees occupying 69m sf (store space only). Amazon.com is valued at $25.4b with 1,600 employees occupying 28,000 sf of headquarters space, plus warehouses, versus C.V.S. valued at $19.9b, with 90,000 employees occupying 22,000 sf, plus 4,056 drug stores. Finally, Yahoo is worth $33.9b with 673 employees in 171,000 sf versus Boeing with a market cap of $35.8b, 230,000 employees and 4.3m sf of space (plant only).

2. Lodging Research Network Sells Info Online. ... More and more data providers are delivering electronically. But I was struck by the $500 price point for a single report from Lodging EconoMetrics on Hotel Sales by Brand (24k PDF file). ... A successful marketing effort for this kind of specialized analysis would speak well for the sale of all kinds of research online. Hey, maybe your research department can actually generate revenue!

3. Aminoff & Co.--Managing in "Real Time"--II. ... I've long used LapLink to transfer large files back and forth between my desktop and laptop. But Gary Aminoff of Aminoff & Co. in Los Angeles has taken this to a new level. "We have LapLink Professional running on a workstation on our LAN. From the field we connect to the Internet through our ISP. Once connected, we transfer files using the Internet transfer function...It is fast, smooth and doesn't require long distance dialing. LapLink also has a drag and drop function." ... Do you have a Web Success story? Send e-mail to Peter Pike . ... Recent Web Success stories are posted at PikeNet.

4. PikeNet 99 Conference. ... Mark your calendar to attend PikeNet 99 at the New York Hilton, April 29-30/May 1, 1999, "Commercial Real Estate Internet Strategies." ... Online registration is scheduled to be launched Monday, January 18. ... Click the PikeNet 99 link at the top of the home page.

--Peter Pike