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  • From: Jim Allman <jim AT ibang.com>
  • To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Google Responds to Gmail Privacy Concerns
  • Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 15:15:58 -0400


On Apr 5, 2004, at 2:57 PM, Don Rua wrote:

"Hey, we're out of nachos--oh, never mind, there are fresh ones on the
porch. Thanks, MagicHouse(tm)!"

I had thought about this concept a few years back, but instead of
microphones, a simple bar-code scanner near the trash can.


Absolutely, lots of cool smart-grocery ideas here.. But actually, I was just trying to suggest a situation that offers great practical benefits, but also sets off privacy alarms for most people.

It seems odd to me that Google is surprised that someone would be put off by having a program rifle through their personal communications, when it creates such an obvious opening for surveillance. It's like the Echelon system, but with coupons (hmmm).


But hey, since you brought it up...

A side business to facilitate this and other deliveries could be called a
butler-box perhaps. A small enclosure outside of your front door to accept
deliveries that has some minimal security.

Scott McNealy of Sun was giving speeches a couple of years back about "containerization", the smarter bundling and shipping that UPS and others engage in to keep costs down. (Very interesting stuff, actually.) He'd spin a pretty interesting tale of how, by applying smart routing to all deliveries, we could revolutionize both buying *and* distribution.

Imagine having these grocery orders go out, with each item purchased from a different vendor (based on your preferred size, flavor, price, preference for local produce, etc), and having it all "swarm" together into a refrigerated locker at your corner gas station for easy retrieval.

(The only reasons we don't do this now are the number of mind-numbing choices, all the transaction costs, and of course the hassle. All of which could probably be overcome--though I suspect most vendors wouldn't *really* want to compete in that environment.)

Anyway, I still can't decide if this is dot-com snake oil, or a brilliant insight into the added value of IT for "old economy" businesses.

=jimA=





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