Internet Technology Basics For IM'ers

[fr0ke]

I've been thinking about a product I could create, and one idea is an ebook on internet technology basics.

I truly believe that when one understands the basic underlying principles (of just about anything), it is significantly easier to build on top of the basics. For example, when one understands how URL parameters work, they can easily make sense of things like "/?ref=306983&subid=aHdg4B" thus saving time and frustration/confusion when doing higher-level things like building ad campaigns.

So, my questions for this forum are:

1. Is there a market for this kind of product? (Is it already flooded?)
2. What are the basics that should be covered?

So far, the list of topics is (in no particular order):

1. Web Browser Basics: how the most popular application on a PC works
2. Web Server Basics: what goes on behind the scenes
3. IP Addresses/Domain Names/Internet Routing
4. Bits, Bytes, and Bandwidth
5. E-mail Basics

Thanks ahead of time for any feedback.

[Nickolie0990]

I think before you start creating and producing the product, you need to go back and do your market research. There is no point in creating the product if nobody wants it. Find the market, then ask THEM what they want, not an internet marketing forum.

[Alex Taylor]

I can tell you right now, without any research, that most people who are interested in internet marketing won't be interested in how a browser works or what goes on behind the scenes of a web server.

If you could directly tie it to making money, or to some "how tos" in terms of website setup, that would be a different story!

[Allen Graves]

I am wondering if those who are that new to the internet would be comfortable with giving out their credit card information or setting up a Paypal account to purchase it.

Just a thought...

[Mr. Enthusiastic]

People who want to truly understand how to use computers, set up scripts, servers, etc. already have countless great tutorials to choose from... many of them free.

Many people who do Internet marketing really don't care at all about how the technology works. They just want to get their jobs done. A recent guru's video got the Warrior Forum abuzz. In that video, the guru says something like "here's where you point and click, I have no idea what all this other stuff is but don't worry it about it."

He had an idea for a web script that would prompt users for logins, store the logins in the database, reward referrals with email unlocking additional content, etc. To implement it, he found a programmer and paid a lot of money for the scripts. I think that's a pretty common attitude around here.

For comparison: how many people rely on their car to commute to work? What percentage of them will buy the car's service manual and learn to change their own oil?

The person with a higher level plan in mind, like the ad campaign, will pay for an expert if they can afford one. Otherwise, they'll take their best guess, ask for a few tips, and hope to get by.

Even the kind of training you talked about has a very limited niche: people who understand that there's a business value to learn these things; and they have time to study; and they have some kind of education/training budget; and their company isn't big enough to already have an established IT trainer. When you add up all those constraints, there's not much of a market left... and it's pretty well already covered by the "for dummies" books.

I think you're much better off learning more about marketing and sales yourself, OR team up as the coding guru for someone who knows how to sell, sell, sell. Either of those strategies, I feel, would have a better shot at success than your initial plan.

Chris

[JeffMitchell]

Quick Suggestion. I would create a quick survery..and head over to Www.SurveyMonkey.Com and really see what people want. Just start asking everyone to take your survey...your list, all your personal connections...etc.

Surveys is where it is at.

Jeff Mitchell

[JohnMcCabe]

Yet another way to gauge interest in the topics would be to write and submit some sample articles to a directory like EZA. You won't necessarily get a read on commercial viability unless you drive readers to a survey page, but the views and clicks should at least give you an indicator.

Surveys can be tricky things. Too often, people answer with what they think they should say or with what they think the surveyor wants to hear.

It's a Catch-22. An anonymous survey may get you more honest answers, but you give up the ability to contact those people should you actually create the product.

[scrofford]

Do your market research. If you create the product before finding out if it is even feasible, then you have a great chance of not being successful. If you don't know how to do market research, look through the forum...there is plenty of info here. you can also find a lot of information for free on the internet.

[JeffMitchell]

Another thought is that you could check amazon and see if people are buying books on what you are trying to sell.

Jeff Mitchell