"I would use it, because it's an easy way to do it through the Internet," Max J. Bernstein '01 said.

However, he added that already existing online resources are underused by most students.

Others were even more skeptical of the Internet exchange service.

"I don't generally use the Web that much," Kathy K. Jo '00 said. "I guess if I really needed to sell something I would."

Both HCS and the council conceived of an online marketplace independently. HCS had already considered the idea when Mahoney approached them last fall, Alpert said.

In November, the council voted $1,000 for the project, to cover the computer society's production and maintenance costs, although Alpert said HCS eventually needed few funds to finance the team of ten student programmers who created the final product.

Alpert said he is optimistic about the marketplace's chance for success and sees it as a logical progression for students on a campus growing more comfortable with the Internet every day.

"It makes sense," Alpert said. "It's a good time for it. We hope students will find it useful."