From: nobody@neva.org (Neva Remailer)
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 13:41:00 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: Remailers and ecash
Message-ID: <199710030536.WAA16213@mail-gw2.pacbell.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




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Anonymous wrote:
>> > - Everyone a remailer.  Remailers only accept messages from other
>> >   remailers.  To use remailers you must run a remailer.
>> 
>> I don't grow my own wheat, grind it up, and then make my own bread.  I
>> also prefer not to run a remailer.
>
>You don't have to.  You pay someone to bake your bread for you, and
>you can pay someone to run your remailer for you.
>
>This idea has been around since remailers began.  The basic premise
>is that a group of remailers are set up which only accept mail from
>other remailers.  A pinging system can be set up to verify that all
>the remailers are operating correctly.
>
>The catch is that in practice each remailer is only required to
>accept mail from other remailers, but can actually accept mail from
>anybody the operator wants to.  So if you don't want to run a
>remailer, just pay someone to run a remailer on your behalf, and then
>you can send anonymous messages through that person's site.
>
>Thus forwarding within the remailer network is free, but it costs
>money to insert new messages.  This scheme is a little more flexible
>than attaching ecash to each message because you can arrange any type
>of fee schedule you like, such as a flat rate per month.

This is interesting.  One nice feature is that there doesn't need to
be a standardized payment arrangement with all remailers, just the one
you use for your entry point.  And, there's nothing that prevents many
remailer networks from overlapping.  (Actually, the geometry could
create some neat problems.)

This would be fairly easy to set up, not even really needing client
software modifications.

However, it does have a "commons" problem.  No remailer operator has
an incentive to provide really good service.  They are all encouraged
to provide the bare minimum remailer service and take advantage of the
other remailers in the network.

For example, what would encourage somebody to have a 24 x 7 remailer
service with continuous staffing?  This would be desirable because
when the bad guys kick down the door, there is somebody awake to pull
the plug.  There are a zillion other features which won't happen if
there isn't a proper incentive.

Monty Cantsin
Editor in Chief
Smile Magazine
http://www.neoism.org/squares/smile_index.html
http://www.neoism.org/squares/cantsin_10.html

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