From: Zooko Journeyman <zooko@xs4all.nl>
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 00:48:09 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: write up AP for FC++
Message-ID: <199708181632.SAA09272@xs2.xs4all.nl>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




 A million monkeys operating under the pseudonym
 "Steve Schear <azur@netcom.com>" typed:
>
> May I suggest that we abandon the term AP, as being too narrowly focused,
> and use something more academic (looks better in FC's proceedings, anyway)
> such as Anonymous Betting Pools, or some such?

<snip>

> Definitely.  Also, a legal treatment would be nice (Broiles?).  I've
> posited that ABPs rely on elements of skill rather than chance to avoid
> being tagged as gambling (e.g., Beat the Psychics).  Actually ABP could be
> viewed as an insurance policy.


Um, as soon as you broaden AP from libertarian fantasy into 
rigorous hypothesis, it turns out that it _isn't_ _anything_
but Idea Futures/insurance/ABPs/(payee-anonymous) contract 
markets plus the murderous daydream junk.


That is to say, from the rigorous (technical) point of view, 
AP _IS_ Idea Futures _IS_ ABPs _IS_ contract markets _IS_ 
insurance.


TCMay has mentioned before that AP is nothing new...


If you want some scholarly exposition, write up some definitive
treatise on AP/IF/I/ABPs/CMs as such so that in the future 
crackpots who semi-independently come up with the idea won't be
able to tie it to political fantasies or other specific 
would-be-applications in the (un-)popular consciousness.


Zooko, whose prose is JYA'ifying in frustration

P.S.  Allow me to repeat in simple words:  "'ASSASSINATION 
POLITICS' IS NOTHING BUT IDEA FUTURES PLUS CRACKPOT POLITICAL 
FANTASY!"

P.P.S.  I am not a cypherpunk.  I'm only a guest!  I didn't 
know there was marijuana in the brownies, officer!  I didn't 
PGP sign this message.  Nobody saw me do it -- you can't prove
anything.