[7411] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Electronic Signatures Yield Unpleasant Surprises
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Arnold G. Reinhold)
Sun Jul 2 18:56:27 2000
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In-Reply-To: <395DE732.A04A6809@software-munitions.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 17:43:52 -0400
To: Dennis Glatting <dennis.glatting@software-munitions.com>,
William Allen Simpson <wsimpson@greendragon.com>
From: "Arnold G. Reinhold" <reinhold@world.std.com>
Cc: cryptography@c2.net
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At 5:42 AM -0700 7/1/2000, Dennis Glatting wrote:
>Did anyone talk to the IRS? If I do not get a hard copy receipt, how
>do I prove purchase in case of audit? Moreover, if the transaction is
>electronic and the vendor's system crashed and the vendor lost his
>data, which I am confident he is not liable for, or the vendor goes
>out of business and the data vanishes into the ether, how do I prove
>purchase? Is the best I can hope for a belly laugh from an IRS agent
>as he slams the prison door behind me?
Nothing new here. I often buy stuff on line and only get e-mail
receipts. My credit card statements are a backup, I suppose. If
anything the new law will strengthen our case with the IRS.
I am more concerned about all the press coverage that suggests this
law is about cryptographic signatures, retinal scans and the like,
when its really about clicking "I Accept" buttons.
Q.v. http://cryptome.org/esigs-suck.htm
Arnold Reinhold
