Survey Says? Your Internet Firms In Everyday Ways

As retail investors and individuals manage more and more of their finances
themselves, we think perhaps some of the investment decisions being made
rely at least in part on the old-fashioned method: if you use it maybe it’s
a fairly good product or service. And if you’re using it are others? If so,
is it a good investment? Maybe. Then the research and due diligence begins
in earnest.

Sounds quite simple. But consider that mega-investor Warren Buffett just
acquired a chunk of ice cream king Dairy Queen based on the rather humble
fact that he buys a cone there. Other stocks Buffett owns: Coca-Cola? Yep.
Drinks Coke, too. Gillette? Everybody shaves.

So what’s everybody using in the Internet space? Example: In 1995 if you
were asked which browser you are using, Netscape may have popped up right
away. As did its stock. Usability creates awareness which creates
expectations. Some of that gets built into stock values and hence the
wildly different valuations for firms.

So here’s a brief survey. At left is the Internet category. What’s the
firm that first pops into your mind when you see “software?” etc. Some of
them may not inspire any one company, such as “content.” Even so, in this
interactive survey, try to jot down a few e-mails to us. Next week, we’ll
give everyone the results and compare impressions with balance sheets and
stock values.