I notice on the webboards and websites, apparently used ATM machines are available as low as $250 and less. And there are a plethora of ISO 8583 POS devices (card readers) And, there are software projects such as www.jpos.org having apparently some capability for sending/receiving ISO 8583 transactions and maintaining the resulting accounting.
Question, then, couldn't a local organization such as a community currency project, acquire some of thse components and interconnect them with their own network, such as the Seattle community wireless network, and eventually get to a point where they could conveniently, conduct business in their neighborhood? Seattle Currency is in the planning stages, as a mutual credit currency (that is, not a national currency payment but rather an accounting device for mutual payables and receivables, with some mechanisms for multiple "issuers" of accounts payable to underwrite or insure each others' accounts payable. ) There have been over 100 people attending the most recent planning meeting.
Todd Boyle CPA 9745-128th Ave NE Kirkland WA 98033 425-827-3107 - http://www.ledgerism.net/
