Subject: Bastardizing the Net From: Teacher638@aol.com Date: Sat, 31 Aug 1996 22:43:41 -0400

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Did you guys see this story?
        
        AT&T has unveiled a service designed to promote
        safer shopping on the Internet by allowing consumers to talk to
        sales representatives through a direct link from the company's World
        Wide Web site. People will be able to make hotel reservations and
        even buy cars through the service, which will let consumers click on
        an icon on a Web site that places a call directly to the company
        over AT&T's phone lines. Being able to speak to a representative
        will make transactions safer than sending credit-card numbers over
        the Internet, AT&T said Tuesday.
        
That is absolutely appalling!
Do they really expect us to support a service such as this? It is a
deliberate contradiction of the essence of the Internet.        
We are supposed to be using the net because it eliminates the human handling
of  money (among many other things), finally bringing to the masses the joy
of electronic commerce. 
The secure transaction of funds is indeed in a quandry; secure it ain't! But
theirs is not a solution, not at all!

They are simply caving in! 

Setting up call centers to handle their clients orders makes me wonder if
they want this issue resolved at all. It sure is going to promote many more
800/888 # calls. Fattening their coffers when we had finally figured out a
way to reduce those incoming toll-free bills, that's what this is all about!

Let's continue to support those companies that are pursuing a secure
environment on our beloved Internet. Not these self-serving AT&T @#&(!*~\> 's
(for lack of a better word).

I agree that the security issue is not yet resolved. I heard that even the
Mastercard Secure Card had been recently compromised.  I also heard there is
available from a foreign agency (sounds like some spy drama) a code
encryption so huge it is impossible to break. We use 128 bit, they use 2048
bit!!!

Does anyone else know of this 2048 bit code encryption?

In the meantime, I'm going to ask everyone I can to hold on to the hope of a
solution and not weasle out like AT&T has.

Can you imagine them bastardizing what we all know and love with another one
of their selfish schemes?

Support those that support us.
Support those that are researching the solution.
Don't give up!

teacher638



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