While reading up on a ridiculously high-performance kitchen appliance, I found this quote from a manufacturer:
Between the year 2000 – 2001 the market conditions change, the end-user becomes more informed and demanding (thanks also to the internet forums) and a new class of consumer demands more performing machines
I don’t see how this isn’t the case for every industry. Every consumer-producer feedback loop that is tightened by information technologies allows for both a more demanding consumer and a more efficient producer. Information, freely exchanged, is a net gain for the economy.