diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'template/faq.html.j2')
-rw-r--r-- | template/faq.html.j2 | 173 |
1 files changed, 173 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/template/faq.html.j2 b/template/faq.html.j2 new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f3657f7c --- /dev/null +++ b/template/faq.html.j2 @@ -0,0 +1,173 @@ +{% extends "common/base.j2" %} +{% block body_content %} +<div class="container"> + +<h2>{{ _("How is Taler related to Bitcoin or Blockchains?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>Taler does not require any Blockchain technology, and is +also not based on proof-of-work or any other distributed consensus +mechanism. Instead, Taler is based on blind signatures. +However, it is theoretically possible to combine Taler with +peer-to-peer crypto-currencies like Bitcoin.</p> +{% endtrans %} +{% trans %} +<p>It would be possible, however, to withdraw coins denominated in +Bitcoin into a Taler wallet (with an appropriate exchange), which +would give some benefits over plain Bitcoin, such as instant +confirmation times.</p> +{% endtrans %} + +<h2>{{ _("Where is the balance in my wallet stored?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>Your wallet stores digital coins and thus ultimately your computer +holds your balance. The exchange keeps funds matching all unspent +coins in an escrow bank account.</p> +{% endtrans %} + +<h2>{{ _("What if my wallet is lost?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>Since the digital coins of value in your wallet are anonymized, the +exchange can not assist you in recovering a lost or stolen wallet. +Just like with a physical wallet for cash, you are responsible for +keeping it safe.</p> +{% endtrans %} +{% trans %} +<p>The risk of losing a wallet can be mitigated by making backups or +keeping the balance reasonably low.</p> +{% endtrans %} + +<h2>{{ _("What if my computer is hacked?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>In case of a compromise of one of your devices, an attacker can +spend coins from your wallet. Checking your balance might reveal +to you that your device has been compromised.</p> +{% endtrans %} + +<h2>{{ _("Can I send money to my friend with Taler?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>If your friend provides goods or services for you in exchange for a +payment, they can easily set up a Taler merchant and receive the +payment in their bank account.</p> +{% endtrans %} +{% trans %} +<p>Future versions of the Taler wallet may allow exchanging coins +among friends directly as well.</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("How does Taler handle payments in different currencies?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} +<p>Taler wallets can store digital coins corresponding to multiple +different currencies such as the Euro, US Dollars or Bitcoins.</p> +{% endtrans %} +{% trans %} +<p>Taler currently does not offer conversion between currencies.</p> +{% endtrans %} + +<h2>{{ _("How does Taler protect my privacy?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>Your wallet stores digital coins that are <a +href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_signature">blindly +signed</a> by an exchange. The use of a blind signature protects your +privacy as it prevents the exchange from knowing which coin it signed +for which customer.</p> + +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("How much does it cost?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>The Taler protocol allows any exchange to set its own fee +structure, allowing operators to set fees for withdrawing, depositing, +refreshing or refunding coins. Operators can also charge fees for +closing reserves and for (aggregated) wire transfers to merchants. +Merchants may choose to cover some of the fees customers incur. +Actual transaction costs are estimated around 0.001 cent/transaction +(at high transaction rates, amortized over billions of transactions, +excluding migration costs). Note that this is an early estimate, +details may depend on hosting and backup requirements from the +regulator and could thus easily be 10x higher.</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("Does Taler work with international payments?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>Taler's wallet supports multiple currencies, but the system +currently does not support conversion between currencies. However, +in principle an entity that accepts deposits in one currency and +allows withdrawals in another currency could be created. Still, the +regulatory hurdles in this case tend to be particularly complex. +The focus for Taler is on day-to-day payments, so we have no plans +to support currency conversion in the near future.</p> + +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("How does Taler relate to the (European) Electronic Money Directive?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>We believe the European Electronic Money Directive provides part +of the regulatory framework a Taler exchange with coins denominated +in Euros would have to follow.</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("What bank would guarantee the conversion between Taler coins and bank money in regular bank accounts?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>The exchange would be operated by a bank or in cooperation with a bank, and that bank +would hold the funds in escrow. Note that this bank could be a regular bank or a central +bank for a centrally banked electronic currency. Regardless, the bank would fall under +the respective banking regulations establishing a reason why consumers would have faith +in the conversion from Taler coins into regular bank money.</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("To whom would consumers complain to in case of non-conversion or non-compliance?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>Any exchange should be audited by one or more independent auditors. Merchants and +consumer wallets will report certain issues automatically to the auditors, but auditors +may also provide a method for manual submission of issues. The auditors are expected +to make their reports available to the respective regulatory authorities, or even +the general public.</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("Are there any projects already using Taler?") }}</h2> +{% trans %} + +<p>We are aware of several businesses running exploratory projects or having +developed working prototypes. We are also +in discussions with several regular banks as well as several central banks +about the project. That said, there are currently no products in the +market yet, and we believe this would be premature given the state of +the project (see also <a href="https://gnunet.org/bugs/">our bugtracker</a> +for a list of open issues).</p> +{% endtrans %} + + +<h2>{{ _("Does Taler support recurring payments?") }}</h2> + +{% trans %} +<p>Today, our wallet implementation does not support recurring +payments. Recurring payments, where some fixed amount is paid on a +regular basis are in theory possible with Taler, but they come with a +few caveats. Specifically, recurring payments can only work if the +Taler wallet is running and online around the desired time. +Furthermore, given their repetitive nature they are linkable, and +could thus be used to deanonymize the user making the recurring +payment, for example by forcing the user offline at the time of the +payment and observing that it does then not happen on time. Finally, +the Taler wallet does not work with credit and thus the user would +have to make sure to carry a sufficient balance for the recurring +payment to be made. Still, they can be useful, and a future version of +the Taler wallet will likely support them. But this is not a feature +that we are targeting for Taler 1.0. at this time</p> +{% endtrans %} + +</div> +{% endblock body_content %} |