A 'Funky A.T.M.' Lets You Pay for Purchases Made Online

Steve Furlong sfurlong at acmenet.net
Thu Jul 24 19:12:16 PDT 2003


On Thursday 24 July 2003 15:50, Tim May wrote:

> In fact, "digicash" strongly suggests David Chaum's "Digicash,"

That assumes the reader or listener has heard of Digicash, or of Chaum. 
Not an assumption I'd be comfortable making.


> I choose not to call "untraceable/anonymous digital cash" by any of
> the marketing-oriented catchwords like "Digicash," "BearerBucks,"
> "E-coins," "MeterMoney," whatever.

I tend to use "electronic money" when discussing coin- or account-based 
systems, anonymous or not, with the unwashed masses. It conveys the 
meaning well enough to serve as an opening wedge to a better 
description, and it's general enough that it shouldn't offend the 
sensibilities of those few people who do understand the subject in 
depth. And it hasn't been gobbled up by any company, so far as I know.

-- 
Steve Furlong    Computer Condottiere   Have GNU, Will Travel

"If someone is so fearful that, that they're going to start using
their weapons to protect their rights, makes me very nervous that
these people have these weapons at all!"  -- Rep. Henry Waxman





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