As I dig into Ethereum and it's scripting language, I am rapidly becoming a fan, and I can see how Ethereum could become a key component of electronic commerce and pure electronic transactions in the coming years.
However, I am struggling with how Ethereum contracts could ever account for real-world (offline) variables such as delivery of a physical item or performance of a physical task.
As I see it, any attempt to do these things would require integration with old-hat platforms (such as UPS or Fedex' APIs) or other non-Ethereum-based systems to perform trusted verification if deliveries. For physical services performed I completely don't see how the Ethereum platform will apply.
I'm wondering if anyone else has already tackled these challenges, at least at a conceptual level.
Thanks for your input
-Zeaun
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Comments
Here are a few threads on the topic you'll find interesting:
http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/comment/3356/
http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/comment/2478/
http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/429/
http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/333/digital-notary/p1