OK, don't have a fit: Five thoughts on the Obamacare disaster

[Jim Lane]

49. A sincere question for the IT people who are downplaying the problems.

I understand the basic idea that, if you have initial problems because of a heavy response, that's indicative of popularity and can be considered a good thing.

It seems important, though, that it's "initial" problems that shouldn't prompt hysteria. There's presumably some point at which you have to stop basking in the evident popularity of the site and begin to be concerned that there are still glitches and problems.

On October 1, I didn't even try to log on. I figured I'd wait until the initial tidal wave had subsided and the bugs had been worked out, so that the site was up and running smoothly. Give it a couple weeks, I figured.

We're now a couple weeks on and I haven't seen any glowing reports of how the initial problems have been overcome.

At what point does the persistence of such glitches stop being an indication of success and start being an indication of failure?

I don't feel a sense of panic yet; the insurance that people are trying to buy wouldn't kick in until January 1 anyway. Still, although panic seems premature, I confess to a mounting unease. Is that much, at least, appropriate, now that we're two weeks in?