On 17 Dec 1997 02:21:48 -0600, in local.cypherpunks you wrote: Yes, but if you just phase it in over time, what benefit, if any, will users see until hashcash is fully deployed. Until that time, people will still have to accept email without hashcash or risk losing important messages.
If I want to send an important message to you and I get a hashcash rejection reponse and I'm given a Web site where I can get a Java applet to create the hashcash, I'll do it. We all know we must affix postage to our snailmail. Its time to embrace the postal system's paradigm and educate the reminder of the Net. Those who risk missing an email or two will totally stop their SPAM. Those who won't, won't.
I don't see people adopting hashcash unless there is some intermediate benefit to doing so.
All we need is a small, influential, group to sing the praises of hashcash. I'm sure Declan and Wired will pick up the banner if what we come up with works. After that IETF activity is a far gone conclusion. --Steve