"I still remember the piercing, digital screech of a 56k modem initiating its handshake with the future. While waiting for QuickTime VR demos to appear on my screen, pixel by agonizing pixel, I'd evangelize to anyone who'd listen about Siteman, a website builder with drag-and-drop functionality that felt like wielding actual magic. Siteman wasn't just another software tool; it was the inflection point. The tool that would change everything."
"And some did. Eventually. But here's the uncomfortable truth we gloss over as time marches on: we were spectacularly wrong about the timeline and embarrassingly naive about the slog involved in getting there. Siteman? It didn't die for lack of vision. Wix and Squarespace prove that. Siteman failed because the infrastructure wasn't ready, the market wasn't educated and the business model hadn't evolved past "build it and they will come.""
Technology revolutions repeatedly promise immediate transformation but often require long timelines, infrastructure maturation, market education, and business-model evolution before realizing impact. Early demos and tools can inspire belief yet fail if supporting systems lag. Examples include late-1990s web tools like Siteman and QuickTime VR that dazzled but encountered unmet infrastructure and market readiness, while later platforms such as Wix and Squarespace succeeded once conditions improved. The pattern implies that AI will follow a similar uneven path: hype and early utility will coexist with significant operational challenges, requiring pragmatic investment in infrastructure, user education, and adaptable business models to achieve lasting change.
Read at MarTech
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