The banks fail on-line

I recently read Rob Ford's column in Computer World Canada on Internet banking and I agree one hundred per cent! ("Banking on the Internet is a joke," Feb. 9, 2001, page 14.)

I also got the "This is not currently a feature of our systems" speech in an e-mail reply and thought to myself, why not?

In fact, last week I got so frustrated dealing with the backwards way the banks do things that I lost half a day of productivity blowing off steam and trying to figure out how I can run my life without the banks.

I finally settled down and was able to sift out some ideas on building an application that can solve this problem. I came up with a dual-key cheque system but I need to know a bit more about the banking infrastructure to make sure my idea will work. Even if it doesn't, I have been a programmer for more than 10 years and I know the solution can't be that difficult. As you mentioned in your column they already do it for the big corporations.

My other issue is the fact that I can't get details or transfer funds to or from my own U.S. account. Yet, if I walk into the bank they can do it on their computer! Why should I have to go to the bank and stand in line? As an IT guy I am sure you know that time is money!

In my e-mail to my bank I asked when the ability to manage my U.S. account would be available. The reply: "Unfortunately I can't give you a time-line for when this will be available" and it has been over a year now!

Well, enough venting. I would certainly be interested in sharing my ideas and working with any team that has the ability to approach the banks with a solution.

Kennith C. Gray

Maple, Ont.

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