[ale] kicking the IT habit

[Jeff Hubbs]

Jim -

Having just recently done a real estate transaction, I think the problem
you're going to run into is the establishment of dig-sig infrastructure
on unmanaged clients - i.e. the "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell" machines
laden with pop-up-launching spyware, etc. that rest in most
Internet-connected homes.  Fax, sign with pen, and fax back is about as
far as things seem to have gotten, although our buyers' agent was using
some Windows app that handled fax images in some proprietary format. 
I'd open the files she'd e-mail me with that app's no-cost reader on a
WinME box, print, sign, scan, convert to PDF, and e-mail back.  They
seemed to be rather cavalier about signature authenticity (that is to
say, they didn't require original paper) until things got to the
contract stage and then not again until closing.  You could work up some
sort of Web app that used password auth but good luck getting that to
hold up in court.  

I hate to be pessimistic, but I think what you're alluding to would have
to wait until general acceptance of pretty much incontrovertable digital
signature capability at the casual home user level, and I don't think
that's going to fly right now.  Now, if people decided to trust some
software company to act as an agent on their behalf to execute binding
agreements, that could work, but I can imagine anyone being so crazy as
to give some software company that kind of control over their
lives...oh...wait....

- Jeff


On Tue, 2002-12-10 at 20:29, Jim Philips wrote:
> After more than one year of being unemployed, I am kicking the IT habit. I'm 
> going to work in real estate. If any people on the list are shopping, let me 
> know. And if there are any enterprising software developers out there, I'll 
> be happy to discuss the software needs in the real estate business. There are 
> many. 
> 
> I remain a dedicated Linux evangelist and I'll be looking for opportunities to 
> convert services to Linux wherever I can. 
> 
> One thing I want to investigate in my industry is the use of digital 
> signatures. If anybody knows about efforts in that direction, please let me 
> know. I know that digital sigs already have the force of law. But I would 
> like to know about any instances of people using them in actual contracts.
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale


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