From: IN%"frantz@netcom.com" 15-MAY-1996 22:39:50.97

You could require daily payment and forgo the escrow agent. (Assuming you are willing to risk a day's pay as an experiment in reputation.) Note that

This could work for fixed payments. But what about things like profit-sharing?

What may be a problem for such a company is a social problem. All the creative groups I have worked with have had close personal relations. (Although they have not had wide agreement on significant non-work subjects!) I don't know if good, creative, group-produced products can be built without such a relationship. Does anyone know of an example of such a product from an "anonymous" environment?

No, but you might want to take a look at some psychiatrists & clinical psychologists who are doing some work over the Net, including anonymnity. It's discussed in the most recent or next-most-recent US News & World Report; I'll try to remember to bring my copy in to give the URLs mentioned. I did spot that they could use some boosts on the anonymnity and privacy side - they weren't using encryption, and the payments were via credit card. Someone from Mark Twain or Digicash contacting them would appear to be a good idea, as well as someone encouraging them to use Mixmaster-type anonymous remailers; I'd prefer if someone with more experience than I sent them an email about it. -Allen