Re: [tlug] A Linux branded credit card

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Edward Middleton writes:

 > Credit cards can be a dangerous if you aren't good at paying them off at
 > the end of the month.  Unfortunately they are the one method that is
 > almost universally accepted for online purchases.

There is a cool idea that came up about 30 years ago, which is the
a debit card that is linked to the VISA payments system.  This really
only makes sense for the bank if the bank is Bank of America, though
(anybody else here old enough to remember what the original name of
VISA was?)

For Americans the scary part is that since it's a debit card, you're
not protected by laws that limit your liability in the case of a lost
or stolen card.  But (for the internet and phone shopping) they've
figured out a way around that: one-shot VISA accounts with a credit
limit you choose (up to the money in your account, of course).