Friday, December 13, 2002

O'Reilly Network: Piracy is Progressive Taxation, and Other Thoughts on the Evolution of Online Distribution. Tim O'Reilly. The continuing controversy over online file sharing sparks me to offer a few thoughts as an author and publisher. To be sure, I write and publish neither movies nor music, but books. But I think that some of the lessons of my experience still apply. [source: Tomalak's Realm] 2:47:42 PM

MasterCard tests high-tech payments. The credit-card giant is trying out a new system designed to speed the payment process at check-out counters and replace cash transactions at places such as fast food restaurants. [source: CNET News.com] TaiwanNews.com: Mondex Taiwan expands card's reach to Hi-Life. Cash is good but a smart card is better, e-wallet advocate Mondex Taiwan said yesterday. Mondex Taiwan, a subsidiary of MasterCard, announced that 600 Hi-Life convenience stores would be accepting its store value card starting next Tuesday. "You can purchase anything from newspapers to pientang (lunchboxes) using our Mondex card," said company spokesman Harrison Hou. "You don't have to worry about loose change and large bills anymore." Mondex's electronic cash program can store value for up to five currencies and is globally inter-operable, said Hou. In Taiwan, cardholders are allowed to store up to NT$10,000 in their e-wallets, he continued. [source: Scott Loftesness] 12:00:34 PM

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