From: Steve Schear <azur@netcom.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 07:15:13 +0800
To: "James A. Donald" <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com>
Subject: Re: FCPUNX:Getting ecash without an MTB account
In-Reply-To: <199708172027.NAA14757@proxy3.ba.best.com>
Message-ID: <v0310280fb01d321f8cf7@[10.0.2.15]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>> My understanding of the protocol is that the identity of the purchacer is
>> revealed only if the coin is double spent.
>
>The identity of Bob is known by Alice and the bank.

Bob's identity is only known by Alice if other aspects of their transaction
reveal it.  Ecash payments can be made out to "@", a wild-card ID which
allows anyone to spend it.  TCP/IP payments only provide the IP address not
the payee identity.  Payments made via message pools further obscure
identity.

Once MoneyChanger front-ends to the mints are available Bob can remain
anonymous to the bank as well.

>No one can ever discover the identity of Alice from the coin.

Unless the payment characteristics, e.g., large coin values, permit linkage.

--Steve