NY Times on e$

[John Young]

The NY Times today reports on "the first retail transaction on 
the Internet using a readily available version of powerful data 
encryption software designed to guarantee privacy."

Quotes:

"Even if the NSA was listening in, they couldn't get his credit 
card number," said Daniel M. Kohn, the 21-year-old chief 
executive of the Net Market Company of Nashua, N.H.

* * * *

The data encryption program is called PGP. . .

* * * *

"I think it's an important step in pioneering this work, but 
later on we'll probably see more exciting things in the way of 
digital cash," said Philip Z. Zimmermann . . .

In other words, [e$] are packets of worth that have value in 
cyberspace, the same way dollars have value in the real world, 
except that they have the properties of anonymity, privacy, and 
untraceability.  Many details remained to be worked out, Mr. 
Zimmermann said.

End quotes.

Includes discussion of net security and encryption.

See Business Section, pp. D1, D2.  AOL offers access to NY 
Times.

Anyone who wants a copy email me.

John