Go.com
Encyclopedia
Go.com is a web portal
first launched by Jeff Gold, and now operated by the Walt Disney Internet Group, which is a part of The Walt Disney Company
. The portal includes content from ABC News
, ESPN
, and FamilyFun.com, all of which are associated with Disney and are hosted under a .go.com name. Along with TimeWarner's Pathfinder.com
, Go.com proved to be an expensive failure for its parent company, as web users preferred to use search engine
s to access content directly, rather than start at a top-level corporate portal.
, created by Steve Kirsch
, was merged into the Go.com network in 1998. The site originally started off as a search engine
, using a distinctive green stoplight logo. However, in early 2000 Go.com was forced to abandon its logo
because of a complaint of similar-looking logos filed by Goto.com (A court later ruled that Go.com had to pay $
21.5 million in damages to Goto.com).
In 1998, Disney expanded Go.com beyond the entertainment portal concept launched by Gold. In addition to its own content, the company used the site as a hub for other Disney-related sites, including ABC.com
and Disney.com
. Go.com also hosted personal web pages
. In early 2000, with visits to the site dropping, Disney announced that the general portal would now focus more on entertainment.
Almost all Disney/ABC sites migrated to the Go.com domain, and thus as a sub domain example: disney.go.com, espn.go.com, and the site was mentioned at the end of programs on ABC/Disney networks often (for example at the end of a program on ESPN
, the end line was "For more visit ESPN.com, part of the Go Network", while the logo was displayed on-screen, or at the end of an ABC News program, the bumper would freeze frame at the end while the logo animates, accompanied by "ABCNews.com is now a part of the Go Network").
However, in January 2001, Disney announced that it would be closing Go.com and its search engine, laying off approximately 400 employees and retiring the go.com tracking stock
. Also announced was the closing of Go.com's volunteer-edited directory. With the closing, some volunteers created, or migrated to, offshoot directories including JoeAnt
, Goguides.org, and Skaffe.com.
Despite its announcement, go.com never ceased operations. Instead, in March 2001, the site ended its search engine and switched to a search engine provided by goto.com, whose parent, Inktomi
, was eventually purchased by Yahoo!
. Go.com continues to use the Yahoo search engine for queries and features content and news from its family of sites, and thus should be transitioning to Microsoft
's Bing service once Yahoo's search deal with Bing comes into place.
All of Disney's sites, including ABC's, broadcast, cable, news, and owned and operated television station sites (except for a handful of ESPN sites, such as Jayski's Silly Season Site
) continue to be hosted on the go.com domain, although a base address is used for branding and simplicity purposes; the ESPN site address redirects from espn.com to espn.go.com, for instance, while the site for WABC-TV
redirects from 7online.com to abclocal.go.com/wabc/.
Go.com has recently announced that they will cease the operating of its email accounts effective August 31, 2010.
Web portal
A web portal or links page is a web site that functions as a point of access to information in the World Wide Web. A portal presents information from diverse sources in a unified way....
first launched by Jeff Gold, and now operated by the Walt Disney Internet Group, which is a part of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
. The portal includes content from ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and FamilyFun.com, all of which are associated with Disney and are hosted under a .go.com name. Along with TimeWarner's Pathfinder.com
Pathfinder.com
Pathfinder was one of the first Internet portals, initially created as Time Warner's entry onto the Internet. It was supposed to be an all-encompassing site that brought the best content from all of Time-Warner under one banner.The site opened in 1994...
, Go.com proved to be an expensive failure for its parent company, as web users preferred to use search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
s to access content directly, rather than start at a top-level corporate portal.
History
Go.com was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Jeff Gold (now president and chairman of the nonprofit World Environmental Organization), as an entertainment portal featuring one of the Internet's first web-based chat room networks. The site was affiliated with nearly 3,000 radio stations worldwide, and nearly 1 million people became members of the network, making it the second largest web-based chat network at the time. Go.com was acquired from Gold by the Walt Disney Company and redeveloped after InfoseekInfoseek
Infoseek was a popular search engine founded in 1994 by Steve Kirsch.Infoseek was originally operated by the Infoseek Corporation, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Infoseek was bought by The Walt Disney Company in 1998, and the technology was merged with that of the Disney-acquired Starwave...
, created by Steve Kirsch
Steve Kirsch
Steven Todd Kirsch is an American serial entrepreneur who has started six companies: Mouse Systems, Frame Technology, Infoseek, Propel, Abaca, and OneID. He invented and owns a patent on an early version of the optical mouse. After bringing multiple successful startup companies through IPO and...
, was merged into the Go.com network in 1998. The site originally started off as a search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
, using a distinctive green stoplight logo. However, in early 2000 Go.com was forced to abandon its logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
because of a complaint of similar-looking logos filed by Goto.com (A court later ruled that Go.com had to pay $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
21.5 million in damages to Goto.com).
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and Disney.com
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
. Go.com also hosted personal web pages
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
. In early 2000, with visits to the site dropping, Disney announced that the general portal would now focus more on entertainment.
Almost all Disney/ABC sites migrated to the Go.com domain, and thus as a sub domain example: disney.go.com, espn.go.com, and the site was mentioned at the end of programs on ABC/Disney networks often (for example at the end of a program on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, the end line was "For more visit ESPN.com, part of the Go Network", while the logo was displayed on-screen, or at the end of an ABC News program, the bumper would freeze frame at the end while the logo animates, accompanied by "ABCNews.com is now a part of the Go Network").
However, in January 2001, Disney announced that it would be closing Go.com and its search engine, laying off approximately 400 employees and retiring the go.com tracking stock
Tracking stock
Tracking stock or targeted stock are specialized equity offerings issued by a company that is based on the operations of a wholly owned subsidiary of a diversified firm. Therefore, the tracking stock will be traded at a price related to the operations of the specific division of the company being...
. Also announced was the closing of Go.com's volunteer-edited directory. With the closing, some volunteers created, or migrated to, offshoot directories including JoeAnt
JoeAnt
JoeAnt is a human edited directory offering "to provide a directory of quality sites for Internet users".Created by a group of a dozen former Go.com volunteer Go Guides, JoeAnt was born of the desire to provide relevant results in a wide variety of topics, and seeks to work by forming a...
, Goguides.org, and Skaffe.com.
Current status
Inktomi
Inktomi Corporation was a California company that provided software for Internet service providers. It was founded in 1996 by UC Berkeley professor Eric Brewer and graduate student Paul Gauthier. The company was initially founded based on the real-world success of the search engine they developed...
, was eventually purchased by Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
. Go.com continues to use the Yahoo search engine for queries and features content and news from its family of sites, and thus should be transitioning to Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Bing service once Yahoo's search deal with Bing comes into place.
All of Disney's sites, including ABC's, broadcast, cable, news, and owned and operated television station sites (except for a handful of ESPN sites, such as Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site is a web site focusing primarily on NASCAR news and rumors, created and run by Charlotte-area resident Jay Adamczyk , a former United States Air Force mechanic, on August 25, 1996. Adamczyk started the site after having difficulty finding news regarding the Melling Racing...
) continue to be hosted on the go.com domain, although a base address is used for branding and simplicity purposes; the ESPN site address redirects from espn.com to espn.go.com, for instance, while the site for WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
redirects from 7online.com to abclocal.go.com/wabc/.
Go.com has recently announced that they will cease the operating of its email accounts effective August 31, 2010.