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Subject: Global-Scale Distributed Storage Systems

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  • From: "Josh" <josh AT mercuryfs.net>
  • To: "'Global-Scale Distributed Storage Systems'" <bluesky AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: talked to ESR
  • Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 19:09:23 -0700


The patent is www.mercuryfs.net/patent.zip, and it exists to thwart
Microsoft.

The UNI ID design URL you already have. When setting up a new ID, it first
scans for a collision, if there is one, it requires you to change your
completion password (see the design). When multiple people use the same
card, they each use a different PIN number (as does every individual). An
example PIN is "3400ok", 34 is the last 2 digits of the credit card, 00 is
from 0-99, because multiple people can use the same card, and OK is the used
chosen "completion" password. The first 4 digits of all UNI ID passwords are
assigned. UNI ID stores the credit card in an incomplete manner, only
reassembling the full card number when the pin number is (securely)
transferred. Just as ATM machines would have to remember your password, so
would a thief for UNI ID, but this applies to all password based
technologies. You cannot do a man in the middle attack between the validator
and uni-id. To see why, go here: http://www.mercuryfs.net/design/fig_96.pdf
Only universal-id.net is to charge the credit card to prove its
authenticity. The validator does not make money by doing this, they merely
accept your id and password, and turn to universal-id to authenticate it. If
somebody is using your UNI ID , that authentication charge is a timestamped
record in the credit card log. If the credit card companies don't like 5
cents, then I can make it 10 cents, or 25 cents, and instead of refunding it
all at the end of the year (less 10 dollars), it can be quarterly. If we
get volume, we can throw it into a money market account and get a bit of
interest of it for a few months, thus reducing our total rate, since UNI ID
isn't out to be the next Microsoft, or verisign, etc. UNI ID will become a
non profit foundation, ideally.

The MFS design is at my site, www.mercuryfs.net. If you all want me to, and
I'll gladly cut and paste from it, but I don't think I should fill up
everybody's inbox. In fact, I already tried to send attachments to all of
you, but the email list wont allow it. So you have to visit the site I
guess?

Once again: MFS is the first to separate a file into 2 fundamental units:
information and data. This applies to all files, and can be implemented as a
transparent caching mechanism on all the other technologies (but that's not
my intention). It allows true location independence that appears to beat all
the others, including coda.

Any other questions?

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Clayton [mailto:richard AT highwayman.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 7:00 PM
To: Global-Scale Distributed Storage Systems
Subject: Re: talked to ESR

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In message <>, Josh <josh AT 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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