IP: Online reliability will carry a price

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>From: "Gillmor, Dan" <DGillmor@sjmercury.com>
>To: "'farber@cis.upenn.edu'" <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>
>
>         http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/columns/gillmor/docs/dg071899.htm
>
>  SO you've moved all your stock trading to the Internet, where you can pay a
>minuscule commission when you buy or sell any number of shares at any price.
>Or you spend hours buying and selling things in online auctions.
>
>   And then it happens. Or, rather, it doesn't.
>
>   You want to make a quick stock trade on an especially busy day in the
>equities markets, and your online brokerage doesn't respond to your Web
>browser. Or you were planning to peddle or bid on something cool at the
>auction site, and all you get is a message saying there are technical
>difficulties and please be patient.
>
>   You're outraged at these online companies.
>
>   You should grow up.
>
>   This is life in the Information Age, at least the early stages.
>
>   Once you do grow up, get mad -- but do it productively. Do business with
>companies that treat you right, but expect to pay a little more for the
>privilege.