One of my favourite books is Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon". I bought this in 2000 (that was the year that we visited Scotland, and I remember buying in Inverness a few other Stephenson novels on the strength of this book) and it has been worth several rereadings over the years. Bringing together a thread from the second world war (Alan Turing, the Enigma machine along with an updated version of 'The man who never was') along with a thread of modern day computer wizards who invent a global currency, there was something in the book for everybody.
Today I spotted an article in the online Guardian newspaper which is a direct development of the Cryptonomicon's currency vault - the Bitcoin. As in the book, governments are exceedingly unhappy with this new kind of currency, but will have less ability to cope, as the real life bitcoin is decentralised.
Life imitates art. The future is here.
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