[Asrg] Email Postage (was Re: FeedBack loops)

[mathew]

On Nov 13, 2008, at 21:34, Bart Schaefer wrote:
> I would be interested to have you expand upon your analogy to the
> postal and telephone systems.  In particular, both of these came
> into existence as monopolies, and it has only been a relatively
> recent development (as compared to the long history of the postal
> and telephone services) that there is a competitive economy in
> either market.

That may be true in the US, but it was not true in the UK, where  
postage was invented. The Office of the Master of the Posts was around  
for over a century before monopoly of service was granted.

It also took about that long to work out that charging the sender was  
a good idea, so perhaps the Internet will be ready for the concept  
around 2100 CE.

> What mechanism do you propose that would either establish similar
> barriers for Internet transactions, or bring a similar economy into
> existence even though such barriers do not exist?  Who becomes the
> regional monopoly with the power to set prices and refuse service
> to those who don't pay?

I propose attention bonds. Under such a scheme, no monopoly is  
required to set prices or refuse service.


mathew
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