>> Err, no. Imagine something like ebay for selling company shares on
>> (remember there are a HUGE number of shares changing hand every second),
>> the share price is simply the price that the shares are being sold for
>> at that instant.
>
> OK. I'm still fuzzy on exactly how the shares themselves are worth
> something. The company [hopefully] makes money. What do the shares
> actually do?

A "share" is literally owning a fixed share of the company, which you 
are free to sell on to anyone else.  Obviously if the company is 
successful the shares will become more valuable and you can make a 
profit by selling them later.  Also, because you effectively own part of 
the company, you get a (proportional) say in how the company is run, and 
get a share of the profits each year (a dividend).

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