First-come, first-served

With Greyhound Greyhound principle or practices involve a process in which access to a limited availability of resource from the resource- administrating authority only in the chronological order of applications by, but not according to other criteria is released. Thus, for example, the allocation of seats in an airliner with many low cost airlines, or tickets to a concert a classic first-served basis, since these are simply awarded regardless of a person in order.

The fundamental strength of the Greyhound principle, namely the reduction of the award selection to a single decisive criterion ( the date of the demand input ), is also the crucial weakness: Additional criteria, such as the increased need of an applicant, strictly speaking, may not be considered.

Originally intended as exaggerated and derogatory term has now found its way into everyday use.

The Greyhound principle refers explicitly to a limited resource; if the resource is not limited, but a basically unlimited amount according to chronological order, it is called this principle of order First In - First Out or "first- come, first- served" basis.

Problems with the implementation on an electronic basis

The classic Greyhound method has two important characteristics that poorly electronically itself - can be mapped - for example, in Webanmeldungen:

Opportunities for fraud

The Greyhound method in the variant with several individual process is vulnerable to collusion between participants: How can two participants improve their odds by they go to different queues. Depending on the target buys either the first tickets for both people, or, if they are lists, both people also contribute to each other with a.

In the electronic environment, is the fact that is easy to automate web requests, so that users can gain knowledge of programming an advantage.

Another problem is that the black market: who has once again managed to top of the snake, can often buy far more cards than he needs for himself, and then sell overpriced. This is particularly problematic when the resource itself is free of charge.