An early example of this, says John Cunningham of SnapTrack, is a Japanese restaurant-review service that allows reviews contributed by previous customers tobe called up by somebody outside the restaurant who is wondering whether to eat there.
He's prosecuted a number of small-time scammers who lived according to what may be called the Enron credo: Pile up the cash fast and quit before somebody takes it away.
Once it breaks down, the only time it really endures is if somebody can find a male son who seems tobe competent, and is brought up, and has an apprenticeship.
If electronics allows the Big Board to remain the world's leading stockmarket, its members' seats will be worth much more than if they cling to the old ways, and allow somebody else to gobble up their business.