At 07:15 AM 5/30/02, Tom Beck wrote: ><< Technically, it should be feasible. The paperwork to keep track of who >owes how many minutes to whom would be humongous, though. >> > > >But wouldn't it be possible with computers, wireless networks, and "smart >cards" to do all that electronically? Granted, the programming to set up the >system would be extensive - and the testing and debugging even more so - but >it should be possible, in theory, to establish something that would seem >transparent to users. Whether it would be economically viable to do so is >another question. > >In the simplest iteration, you wouldn't owe minutes to any particular person. >You'd contribute minutes to a big pot, in return for which you could withdraw >minutes from the same pot. You would have to agree, though, that someone who >put in minutes could call upon you for your minutes (subject to certain >common-sense criteria; e.g., a person in Kuala Lumpur, no matter how many >minutes he had contributed, could not demand equivalent minutes from someone >in Rejkjavik). > >Although, if he did, that might make for the basis of an interesting science >fiction short story...
And when your account balance drops to zero minutes, you are immediately euthanized . . . -- Ronn! :) God bless America, Land that I love! Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans, white with foam� God bless America! My home, sweet home. -- Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
