Re: Brands excluded from digicash beta

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> The facts of the matter is that First Virtual currently provides a net
> benefit by moving real value (e.g. dollars) around, and Digicash does
> not.  Until the Digicash system can move real value, there is no
> reason to use it.

I think I'm missing something here.  Isn't the Digicash system in a
beta-phase?  At this point, aren't they just trying to work out the kinks
and show people that it works? 

Obviously, a system that hasn't been deployed isn't as useful as one that
has.  The question is, once Digicash is released for real, how will it 
compare to FV?

I don't have any Digicash software yet, but I'm very interested in it, 
and I wonder if anyone else feels that a Digicash beta testers mail list 
would be a good thing.  I'd like to hear what you guys think of it.

==
Alex Strasheim | finger astrashe@nyx.cs.du.edu
alex@omaha.com | for my PGP 2.6.1. public key

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From: Alex Strasheim <alex@omaha.com>

   > Until the Digicash system can move real value, there is no
   > reason to use it.

   I think I'm missing something here.  Isn't the Digicash system in a
   beta-phase?  At this point, aren't they just trying to work out the kinks
   and show people that it works? 

Yes, it is granted that Digicash is in beta, and not polished.  But
beta testing usually happens after all significant functionality is
present.  The Digicash beta isn't moving real money, and that's a
significant functional deficit.

   Obviously, a system that hasn't been deployed isn't as useful as one that
   has.  

This is substantially my point.  DC and FV are not directly
comparable, because one does something directly useful and the other
doesn't.

   The question is, once Digicash is released for real, how will it 
   compare to FV?

Who can say?  It hasn't been released for real.  Clearing and
settlement in a payments system are _most_ of the problem, not sugar
coating.  FV is leveraging Visa for settlement, but Digicash currently
has nothing.

Eric