Skype’s recent 30-hour outage outraged many users who depend on the service. Yesterday, Skype published an apology on their website. Some think that it was too little, too late. The reality is that technology driven services can never be guaranteed. Power outages in California have disrupted service to millions of users in the past (1, 2). Hurricane Katrina demonstrated that even the most robust communication technologies are vulnerable.
As a user, it is necessary to have contingencies in place when using online platforms to communicate. Simply because you can’t rely on any technology to be UP indefinitely.
As a platform service provider, it is necessary to have contingencies in place in the event of outages. Simply because you can’t prevent all threats (i.e. natural disasters, fire, drunk employees, etc.) It is also important to communicate with your users about the cause and status in a timely fashion when an outage does occur.
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