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.