Joe Sixpack doesn't run Linux

[jamesd at echeque.com]

    --
On 23 May 2002 at 10:57, Meyer Wolfsheim wrote:
> 3. The people who might use it if it is easy.
>
> This is Joe Sixpack. This is who you are worrying about, wanting 
> S/MIME to deliver on its promises. This is Templeton is worrying 
> about, wanting opportunistic mail encryption.

Joe sixpack is willing and able to make the necessary mental 
effort if there is money at stake -- which of course there is not.

The first recorded use of envelopes in mail was in financial 
transactions.  People would create a clay tablet containing marks 
representing so many goods of this type, so many goods of another 
type, bake it, then wrap in another clay envelope, and bake that.

Right now Joe Sixpack relies on the widely shared secret of his 
credit card number, and that sharing worries him more than 
somewhat.  Problems resulting from that sharing are dealt with by 
the credit card company's arbitration facitilities, which cost 
him, the card company, and the merchant dearly.

The big lack of demand for encryption by Joe Sixpack is a result 
of the lack of financial transactions using the internet between 
Joe sixpack and Bob sixpack. 

    --digsig
         James A. Donald
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