IP: Episode I: The Phantom Windfall

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 14:17:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: John Wharton <jwharton () netcom com>
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> Subject: Episode I: The Phantom Windfall
>
>
> Dave--
>
> Signs of a healthy free-market economy: supply rising to meet demand.
>
> For what it's worth, the Century 16 Googolplex theater in Mountain 
> View (CA) is taking steps to accommodate the large crowds expected 
> for the new Star Wars film.  They've scheduled /28 separate screenings/ 
> for Wednesday alone, starting at 12:01am (!).  
>
> A total of 98 additional showings are planned through Sunday night.  
>
>
> Why bother scheduling formal showtimes at all?  Why not just go "16 
> Screens, No Waiting!"?:  Take the roller-coaster metaphor: usher the 
> crowds of rabid fans into each empty theater until it's full, then 
> start the ride and rechannel the remaining flood of ticketholders into 
> the next empty car in line, 24 hours a day, until they're all gone?
>
> Just a thought.  Sorry for the interruption...  
>
>   --John Wharton