Kent Borg writes:
It would be really nice if people had practical experiance *using* cryptography in a friendly, innocent, and non-threatening way.
Familiarity breeds comfort.
How to do this? What about a multi-player game which requires cryptography to implement the play? One possiblity would be a cryptographic implementation of playing cards.
By the way, someone was proposing a crypto game some months back. I don't recall who it was (speak up!), but the notion was floated. An obvious problem with crypto card games is this: what does it provide that is worth the extra effort of doing encryption? This simple question of benefits vs. costs is often the showstopper in deployment of crypto. The nonuse of Magic Money/Tacky Tokens lies, I think, in the hassles of using it not providing tangible benefits over ordinary cash. When I play cards--which I admit has not been for many years--I play to play, not to do crypto. I suspect most ardent card-players would be even more adamant about this. Find a _reason_ to use crypto in games, and you may have something. (What might this be? Illegal gambling is an obvious possibility that could "incentivize" folks. A lot of infrastructure would be needed...digital money, much better remailer security than anything we now have, etc.) Until a reason exists, few people will jump through hoops imposed by someone else. Give them a reason to use crypto, not just an excuse. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."