--- begin forwarded text From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 18:22:33 +0300 Subject: IBM Micro Payments Version 1.3 to be released October 99 Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Apologies for any multiple-posting of this note... Release 1.3 of IBM Micro Payments will be available next month, October 1999 (manuals etc. as well as software will be at http://www.hrl.il.ibm.com/mpay). This is a dramatic improvement over previous releases and some of the main new features are listed below. We are looking for payment system providers (billing systems) to deploy this release, which will allow all of them to easily interoperate (with multiple currencies). Please forward this notice to potential providers as well as web-integrators and OEM software providers, since the maximization of providers will make it easier to reach global availability. We'll be happy to help. Typical providers include banks, telcos, ISPs, financial processors, credit cards, and portals. New features in version 1.3 include: Substantial re-write for improved reliability, efficiency and scalability Wallet download of about 300KB (see notice below) Time-based payments (for selling videos, chat rooms etc.) Wallet can receive money (or `miles`) from site (for reading ads, visiting site, buying, gambling) Implements the W3C Micro Payment Markup spec Improved multicurrency support (incl. Euro) Improved server APIs (as DLLs, any develompent environment OK) Improved server management (e.g. user groups) Open client APIs: 1. Can replace wallet UI (e.g. integrate with SET wallet) 2. Allow other applications to charge micropayments (office appl., games, fax, phone, ...) Flexible per-fee-link appearance (font, background etc) Non-obstrusive per-fee-link - a per-fee-link becomes a regular link (to download area) for a browser without the wallet (plug-in) - can add per-fee-links to `regular` web pages Account opening using SSL authentication (optional) Pre-certified payment option Important notice: IBM Micro Payments version 1.3 requires a client wallet (which is fully functional although only 300KB). We are aware, that many people are attracted to solutions without client wallet (i.e. with server wallets). Server wallets are not as client wallets, as they are more expensive to operate (defeating the `low overhead` goal), less secure and less convinient. However, they are better when `on the road` and necessary for non-supported client platforms; and anyway, even if we disagree, clearly many like them. So, we have designed support for server wallets as well, which will be available as of next release (year end or early 2000). We will provide a toolkit to allow existing wallet servers to interoperate, i.e. allow their buyers to buy at any IBM Micro Payments merchant. We are also soliciting requirements for next release (1.4 - or maybe we'll make it 2, actually, we think IBM Micro Payments 2 or in short MP/2 sound very IBMish :-). Some of the requirements we are considering are: Integration with e-check for business to business payments (not micro...) Server-based wallet support (see above) Interfaces to allow payment service providers to offer completely anonymous accounts Advanced (built-in) gambling support Merchant mall (allowing operation of multiple merchants from one server; notice this can already be built as an application over our existing APIs, so we may just do it for you in next version...) Consumer to consumer payments We appreciate your feedback, suggestions and comments. Please be considerate to fellow list members and respond directly or on the appropriate list only. Best Regards, Amir Herzberg Manager, E-Business and Security Technologies IBM Research Lab in Haifa (Tel Aviv Office) http://www.hrl.il.ibm.com New e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] New Lotus notes mail: amir herzberg/haifa/ibm@IBMIL --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'