Then fraternities and sororities joined in, and would have notes taken to be distributed as a service to their members. Those outlines would then leak to other students. This would have the collateral effect of enhancing the Greeks' reputation. Today, students are being hired to take notes mostly in core courses. This practice has seen its share of critics.
Some professors feel it's a form of cheating the educational process.
The student, in effect, is not totally involved with the material or course. These professors who criticize online notes really need to get out more often. Term papers, CliffsNotes, and synopses of the classics have been available for years. They were never meant to act as a substitute for education. Rather, their purpose has always been to supplement class notes, assigned reading, and whatever interaction can be gleaned from the professor.