BowieNet

[2][3] In 1997 and 1998, Bowie worked with Robert Goodale and Ron Roy to understand the potential of the Internet as a resource for music distribution and fan outreach.

[4] BowieNet launched in September 1998,[5] and offered dial-up service access to the Internet for $19.95 per month or £10.00 in the UK.

[8]: 23:52  After heavily criticising the charging of a fee for BowieNet on other Bowie fansites, Irish fan Dara O'Kearney claims that Bowie himself started contacting him from the email address "bxqr@mindspring.com", singing off with the initials "db" (lower-case), to find out more about why O'Kearney disagreed with it so much.

[9] Members received an @davidbowie.com-ending email address and had exclusive access to audio recordings, music videos and chat rooms, which Bowie participated in himself.

He would appear unannounced and talk, with a special guest sometimes joining in,[5] and on the site he would upload personal photos as well as images of his paintings and some of his journals.

The lyrics chosen were written by a 20-year-old American, Alex Grant,[11] about the concept of a virtual existence on the internet.