From: ALLEN COATES
From: letsnet-gateway@thedruid.demon.co.uk
(Letsnet Gateway)
Subject: re: WebLETS software?
To: econ-lets@mailbase.ac.uk (econ-lets)
Date: Sun May 4 12:21:17 1997
SS> FROM: simondu@microsoft.com (Simon
Dudley)
SS> It strikes me that a LETSystem could
operate far more effectively
SS> if exchanges between LETS members
could registered via the
SS> internet, thus saving much time and
energy in management over
SS> traditional paper-based, non-networked
systems.
SS> Does anyone know of any LETS websites
where exchanges can be
SS> registered?
AC: In the last week or so, members of
LETS-Net have launched a cyber-
LETS project looking at running a LETS
system by e-mail.
JCT: Wonderful.
Open an account for your Local Authority and tell
them about it.
AC: Moreover we are looking at services
that can be offered via a
network (and not necessarily the internet).
Services such as proof
reading, preparing holiday itineraries,
and trawling the web for data,
are three ideas that spring to mind.
JCT: Good start.
Email payments for more tangible trades will
soon follow.
AC: The project is still very much in its
infancy, but no doubt a
report will be submitted to econ-lets
in due course. FYI LETS-Net is a
UK based network of Bulletin Board Systems,
which is devoted to all
aspects of LETS, and other community based
activities.
JCT: And then
you can inform your whole membership database that
it's there if they choose to use it.
AC: LETS-Net can be accessed free of charge
by anyone running a basic
terminal emulator (such as QModem or TELIX),
or a more permanent
network link can be offered using fido
or QWKmail technology.
Please stay in touch, and I will keep
you informed about cyber-LETS.
You can reach me via econ-lets, or LETS-Net,
or via the internet as
allen.coates@cidercounty.nildram.co.uk
(Allen Coates)
NETS-Net Network Co-ordinator.
JCT: Make your
payments-system work for email accounts in your
locality and it will prove they it can
work for email accounts
anywhere in the world.
From: Rob Follett
From: letsnet-gateway@thedruid.demon.co.uk
(Letsnet Gateway)
Subject: Re: After the crash: what now
for LETS in the UK?
To: econ-lets@mailbase.ac.uk (econ-lets)
Date: Sun May 4 12:22:22 1997
RF: Any government with an avowed commitment
to "rebuilding society",
(famously declared by Mrs Thatcher to
be non-existent) should
recognise the part LETS has to play in
this. I believe the first step
would be to press for modification of
the benefits laws which at
present can discourage the unemployed
from trading on LETS. As I
understand it, LETSlink UK are already
taking steps in this direction.
JCT: I'd be pushing
government to join. Then no one would have to
spend time pushing that legislation.
RF: The newly elected MP (Labour) for the
Falmouth & Camborne
constituency here in Cornwall is a member
of Falmouth LETS - the
previous incumbent, on seeing our group's
stall at a YMCA sale, went
out of his way to avoid any contact with
us whatsoever, so this must
surely be a great improvement!
JCT: Wonderful
news which should be of use to us in our Canadian
election. Considering 3 New Zealand Party
leaders in Parliament
endorse LETS, several UK parties endorse
LETS, several Canadian
parties endorse LETS and the Australian
Parliament has supported LETS,
the LETS elected-politicians database
is building.
RF: The new MP for St.Ives in Cornwall
(Lib-Dem) has done a great deal
of work in the past for local community
groups as leader of the County
Rural Community Council, and has also
attended meetings of our county
development group (Cornwall LETS Forum).
JCT: Since the
Liberal Democrats have passed two policy papers
promoting LETS, I think it's safe to add
another MP to the list. Too
bad we don't know his name.
PN: I see four possible scenarios for LETS
development in the UK.
RF: All 4 read with interest, and I imagine
a combination of all 4 is
likely. Best wishes, Rob Follett, Falmouth
LETS
=============================================
E-mail: robf@thedruid.demon.co.uk
rob.follett@letsf.camelot.co.uk
also on LETSnet...
BBS: LETS Forum +44
(0) 1326 378717, 24hrs
=============================================
JCT: But one global
clearinghouse for all the world's smaller
branches is best.