Re: Money & CreditCard URLs

[lmccarth@cs.umass.edu]

Norm Hardy writes:
> Here is a fragment of html that points to several online money or payment
> systems.
[...]
> I would be pleased to receive further such URLs.

RAH recommends Phill H-B's page o' annotated links, and I think I'll second
that right now: 
	http://www.w3.org/hypertext/WWW/Payments/roadmap.html

RAH's e$ page has a pile of good links too: 
	http://thumper.vmeng.com/pub/rah/sites.html 

Coincidentally I am in the midst of sifting through the results of an Alta
Vista search for "micropayment". I just ran into a site dated yesterday that
doesn't seem to be on Phill's list yet. I haven't seen it mentioned here, but
I admit my eyes have been glazing over amid the tide of net.payment systems
PR. 

	http://www.webatm.com/

I found these folks via an article in the Jan. 10 Web Week
(http://pubs.iworld.com/ww-online/wed/0110.html). 

The under-construction welcome page says in part:

"The WebATM will soon begin worldwide testing of the first truly anonymous, 
cash-based online transaction system - no credit cards or bank accounts 
needed. Totally anonymous cash "virtual" accounts will now be possible via 
the WebATM, allowing anyone to quickly and easily purchase goods and services
anywhere on the Web - including very small purchases of a few pennies 
(micro-payments.) Of course if you prefer to use a credit card for your 
online purchase you may do so - safely and securely - through the WebATM
system."

There's a rather critical off-line step:

"Your anonymous pre-paid WebATM WebCard will soon be available at retail 
stores in denominations of $10, $20, $50 and $100 and can be recharged if you 
want - just like pre-paid calling cards!"

It's nice to see them pitching anonymity, though.

-Lewis	"You're always disappointed, nothing seems to keep you high -- drive 
	your bargains, push your papers, win your medals, fuck your strangers;
	don't it leave you on the empty side ?"  (Joni Mitchell, 1972)