Taler 0.3 Released: GNU Still Striving For A Free Software Payment System

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Taler 0.3 Released: GNU Still Striving For A Free Software Payment System

Among the lesser-known GNU projects is Taler, which is trying to be a free software electronic payment system. Today marks its v0.3 release, but it only works so far with toy currencies...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=GNU-Taler-0.3-Released

[amp3030]

By looking at Taler's goals and specifications, I personally find it extremely interesting. It's the only online payment system (I know) that guaranties buyer's anonymity; and this is all I want as a consumer. It may be less "cool" than BitCoin and others, but it solves a very important problem that nobody (I know) has solved before.

[starshipeleven]

By looking at Taler's goals and specifications, I personally find it extremely interesting. It's the only online payment system (I know) that guaranties buyer's anonymity; and this is all I want as a consumer. It may be less "cool" than BitCoin and others, but it solves a very important problem that nobody (I know) has solved before.

Technically, there are cryptocurrencies with blockchain obfuscation, so only you and the seller can see each other in your transactions.

One of the names I see being thrown around is Monero, and it's obviously already in production use for illicit trafficking, not just for honest and legal payments.

[flubba86]

By looking at Taler's goals and specifications, I personally find it extremely interesting. It's the only online payment system (I know) that guaranties buyer's anonymity; and this is all I want as a consumer. It may be less "cool" than BitCoin and others, but it solves a very important problem that nobody (I know) has solved before.

Technically, there are cryptocurrencies with blockchain obfuscation, so only you and the seller can see each other in your transactions.

One of the names I see being thrown around is Monero, and it's obviously already in production use for illicit trafficking, not just for honest and legal payments.

Anoncoin is one that I like.

[veleiro]

Taler is a joke. I thought it was cool that GNU was trying to create a payments system in lieu of Bitcoin, but they are undoing one of bitcoin's strongest characteristics: the ability to have uncensored transactions! "lets code in the feature to censor transactions".. lol...

The taler author doesn't understand bitcoin at all.

As a matter of fact, I was very interested in GNUnet until the Taler project popped up. Now I know what their priority is.

[amp3030]

The taler author doesn't understand bitcoin at all.

Why should they? Taler and Bitcoin are two completely different beasts.

[amp3030]

... but they are undoing one of bitcoin's strongest characteristics: the ability to have uncensored transactions! "lets code in the feature to censor transactions".. lol...

Taler's what the acronym TALER stands for: Taxable Anonymous Libre Electronic Reserve.

My feeling is that, they want to create a new payment system, let's say some decentralized and anonymous alternative to PayPal. They don't want to completely revolutionize the monetary system in the world.

And I like exactly this.

[starshipeleven]

Taler is a joke. I thought it was cool that GNU was trying to create a payments system in lieu of Bitcoin, but they are undoing one of bitcoin's strongest characteristics: the ability to have uncensored transactions! "lets code in the feature to censor transactions".. lol...

FYI, Taler is a PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, Bitcoin and friends are a whole self-sufficient system with its own money, payment system and secure transaction authentication system.

So it's like comparing a car (with no infrastructure attached so no gas stations nor mechanics and so on) to a fully functional railroad system.