Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Needlepoint Copying

Author:Jim Lyon
Posted:8/3/2000; 8:33:44 AM
Topic:Needlepoint Copying
Msg #:19426 (In response to 19418)
Prev/Next:19425 / 19427

Perhaps they would be willing to voluntarily contribute $.25 to the designer of any pattern they actually use.

My thoughts exactly. Of course, for this to happen, we need a good micropayment system. (No credit card issuer will be at all happy with a series of $0.25 charges.)

Unfortunately, I don't see any good micropayment systems on the horizon. From my point of view, a good system would require an ironclad guarantee of privacy. However, the owner of such a system would be a position to collect tons of data whose potential value is enormous. Dan Gillmor's fears pale in comparison to a system that could track every nickle that you spent online (and everywhere that you went in the course of spending that nickle.)

At the moment, I don't see a way out. I don't know of any organizations that have the resources to run such a system, the will to make privacy guarantees, and the integrity to resist the temptation to abrogate their guarantees.

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