talked to ESR

Richard Clayton richard@highwayman.com
Fri, 3 Aug 2001 02:59:43 +0100


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In message <>, Josh <josh@mercuryfs.net> writes

>He doesn't seem to really care,

I have a lot of sympathy with him

>Just because I have the patent,

Exactly what do you have a patent on ?? I've read a certain amount of
the text on your website and have seen a lot of buzzwords, a deep
misunderstanding of the business models of ISPs, an assumption that web
content is static (and served independently of accessing IP address), a
US-centric approach to the law and a cavalier disregard of user's rights
when approached by policemen who persuade you that a life is at risk!

What I haven't seen is a patent number (apart from Apple's) or even an
indication of exactly which part of your Grand Design you have persuaded
the US Patent Office is innovative.

>Nobody has thought of hashing a credit card number and PIN number to create
>a psuedo-anonymous form of identification.

Perhaps that's because it won't work :(

*  partners often share a single credit card number so it isn't as
   unique as would be desirable

*  in order for a third party to validate a UNI ID they must be given
   your credit card number....  one of the lessons we are learning in
   the ECommerce world is that individuals are very reluctant to hand
   over this information

*  your charging model is completely backwards : you have no provision
   to prevent the third party from running up any number of $0.02
   charges [$0.05 in some documents!] once you have released the credit
   card number to them

*  if you think the credit card companies are going to take only a few
   percent from $0.02 transactions you clearly haven't negotiated with
   them...

*  it's bad system design to wave your hands about someone else's
   credentials system ("no two people have the same card number") and
   then build into the heart of your schemes

I would write more (you've written enough detail amongst the hype for it
to be taken apart), but I see others are already bored with the topic.

- -- 
richard @ highwayman . com                       "Nothing seems the same
                          Still you never see the change from day to day
                                And no-one notices the customs slip away"


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