[...] He stares at his students for a moment and says of the million dollars, "For most of you, that would be nothing."

I considered the two nothings: the nothing expected of the online students, the million dollars that would be noting to the Stanford students, of whom everything is expected. [...]

At Stanford, the professors are there for the students, making sure they are well prepared and supported by all the resources the exclusive university can muster. Their students stand before the gateway to the summits of knowledge and riches, which is open wide for them. The gateway is otherwise well guarded. A note shown on the web page introducing the online class states clearly, understandably - but coldly - taking the web version in no way permits the students to use the facilities of the university.