From: Bill Stewart <stewarts@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 1997 11:38:46 +0800
To: Jim Choate <cypherpunks@ssz.com (Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer)
Subject: Re: commercial remailers and anonymous customers
In-Reply-To: <199710030225.VAA28934@einstein.ssz.com>
Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19971003103708.0069ee68@popd.ix.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>> When all your customers are anonymous, you don't get to be very choosy.

Sameer's C2.Net used to be an ISP business, providing privacy services,
and he found that enough of his anonymous customers were problem customers
that it was a real pain to support.  Similarly, remailer operators often
spend a lot of time dealing with spammers and harassers.  (An important part
of the job is maintaining blocking lists of people who don't want mail.)

However, you can keep track of your anonymous customers - have them use
pseudonyms, e.g. PGP signatures maintaing a consistent identity even though
you don't know the True Name of the customer or whether one customer 
is using multiple pseudonyms, and if you kill off one customer you can't
be sure they won't come back with a new pseudonym.


>Like I said, I offer specific services with specific goals for a specific
>fee. If the results are not what you wanted, too bad. You want my other
>services then you'll have to give up the anonymity because I need a certain
>level of security that dealing with anonymous customers simply can't provide.

For the most part, that security involves three aspects
- making sure you get paid (so make anonymous customers pay in advance)
- keeping one customer from cracking into your system and your other customers'
	(internal firewalls help; may be more work/money than it's worth.)
- not having cops raiding you or angry global villagers with flamethrowers showing up.

Besides, lots of people deal with anonymous customers every day;
they don't call themselves John Doe, they call themselves Foo Corporation
and operate from 1234 Main St. Suite 67, which is a mailbox...




				Thanks!
					Bill
Bill Stewart, stewarts@ix.netcom.com
Regular Key PGP Fingerprint D454 E202 CBC8 40BF  3C85 B884 0ABE 4639