At 1:30 PM -0400 8/10/00, dmolnar wrote:
>On Thu, 10 Aug 2000, Gil Hamilton wrote:
>
>
>> On the other hand, I wonder if you folks aren't much more than a
>> couple of sensational newspaper articles away from the same thing.
>
>I'm a little too young to remember this, but wasn't this what happened in
>the U.S. in the 1980s ? I remember hearing from others that the drinking
>age was raised to 21 during that period; before it had been 18.
>
>of course, the way this is administered makes one wish for physical
>credentials without identity. you don't need to see everything on my
>driver's license (prominently emblazoned with "UNDER 21") to know
>that I'm not allowed to drink...
Yep. Chaumian credentials are sorely needed.
And I'll bet there are many newcomers on this list who don't even
know what we're talking about here, as we don't often discuss it. It
was heavily discussed in '92-94, and my Cyphernomicon has stuff on it.
Basically, Chaumian blinding would allow the holder of a credential
to selectively reveal bits of a credential, like uncovering just
window of an envelope with many data fields. An age credential could
be revealed without revealing a meatspace name credential.
(There are issues of biometric authentication to consider, else this
envelope could be loaned to others, like driver's licenses are for
getting into bars.)
BTW, an interesting online variation of this is the issuance of
"AdultCheck"-type credentials. Once such a credential has been
issued, it can't be invalidated by the passage of time, now can it?
"I'm sorry, Mr. May, but your AdultCheck credential was valid last
year, but it has expired. You'll have to pay them again so we know
your aging hasn't reversed and turned you into a 17-year-old."
--Tim May
--
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES: 831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
"Cyphernomicon" | black markets, collapse of governments.
