PhatCat
Kisco Kid
Yep, this whole thing about doing business on a computer is just stupid and doomed to fail.
I remember when Citibank introduced the first ATMs and everyone said, no one will ever trust a computer to receive and disburse money; they will only trust a human teller to do that. Sure enough, ATMs failed and were never seen again. BTW, does anyone under 30 even know what a bank teller is? Do they tell stories to kids whose parents are waiting in line?
I remember when the commuter railroads talked about buying tickets from machines and everyone said the people will never trust a machine and would much prefer to stand in line for an hour at the beginning of each month in one the 30+ lines at the ticket windows at Grand Central Station. Sure enough those ticket machines failed. BTW, can you find the one ticket window that is still open at GCT.
I remember when online travel services first appeared and everyone said no one will want to go through the hassle of booking their own flights when they can just call their travel agent. Sure enough, online ticketing disappeared. BTW, does anyone know a good travel agent? Or *any* travel agent?
I remember when this startup company started selling books over the internet and everyone said there is no way people will buy books sight unseen. They will never give up actually handling the book. And they will never, ever read books on a computer. And sure enough that online book company Amazon faded into the Seattle clouds, never to be seen. BTW, where's the nearest bookstore?
I remember when online music services started and people said there is no way anyone will give up owning their own copy of the music. And sure enough those music streaming services failed. BTW, where can I play my CD? There doesn't seem to be a slot on any of my devices.
I remember when a new startup car company started selling cars online. How ridiculous! Over 400,000 people would never place a $1000 deposit on a car that didn't even exist yet, without even seeing it in person, let alone without driving it. And there is no way that car company would receive 80% of its orders online. And there is no way a person like me, who has had 28 cars of every type and configurations form various manufacturers, would purchase a Model 3 without ever seeing it in person, let alone driving it.
Oh wait. I did.
I remember when Citibank introduced the first ATMs and everyone said, no one will ever trust a computer to receive and disburse money; they will only trust a human teller to do that. Sure enough, ATMs failed and were never seen again. BTW, does anyone under 30 even know what a bank teller is? Do they tell stories to kids whose parents are waiting in line?
I remember when the commuter railroads talked about buying tickets from machines and everyone said the people will never trust a machine and would much prefer to stand in line for an hour at the beginning of each month in one the 30+ lines at the ticket windows at Grand Central Station. Sure enough those ticket machines failed. BTW, can you find the one ticket window that is still open at GCT.
I remember when online travel services first appeared and everyone said no one will want to go through the hassle of booking their own flights when they can just call their travel agent. Sure enough, online ticketing disappeared. BTW, does anyone know a good travel agent? Or *any* travel agent?
I remember when this startup company started selling books over the internet and everyone said there is no way people will buy books sight unseen. They will never give up actually handling the book. And they will never, ever read books on a computer. And sure enough that online book company Amazon faded into the Seattle clouds, never to be seen. BTW, where's the nearest bookstore?
I remember when online music services started and people said there is no way anyone will give up owning their own copy of the music. And sure enough those music streaming services failed. BTW, where can I play my CD? There doesn't seem to be a slot on any of my devices.
I remember when a new startup car company started selling cars online. How ridiculous! Over 400,000 people would never place a $1000 deposit on a car that didn't even exist yet, without even seeing it in person, let alone without driving it. And there is no way that car company would receive 80% of its orders online. And there is no way a person like me, who has had 28 cars of every type and configurations form various manufacturers, would purchase a Model 3 without ever seeing it in person, let alone driving it.
Oh wait. I did.