The Apple Website has Fallen Far from the Tree

In trying to "reserve" an iPhone 4s for pickup tomorrow, I've learn't today how even giants like apple don't really care about their website, and have given little thought ( unless you can correct me ) to the frustration their consumers are facing trying to get a hold of an iPhone.

This is the flow of their current process -

1.Go online ( only after 9 p.m. ) 2. Reserve iPhone in selected store location 3. Go next day. Pickup iPhone. 4. If you can't make it. Your reservation is forfeited and people who show up at the store and line up are sold the remaining iPhones.

It is now. 9:47. I tried refreshing the website countless times since 8:58 and got the same message – "Unable to connect to server".

Seriously? That's the best apple can do?

I'd like the collective wisdom of HN to tell me why on earth apple can't implement a QUEUE where you sign up for an iPhone. And if the iPhone is not picked up at the designated time it is then made available to the next person in the queue? Meaning no crazy 9:00 p.m. window. No refreshing madness.

This sticks to the idea of first come first serve and the only downside I can see is that iPhones would move out of the store a hair slower (since unsold iPhones on any given day would be made available only the next day.