In a few real life days we will embark on something which will change
the credit market drastically, for at least a time.

When this begins, which will be announced in the next few days:

* ALL credit market buys will result in bound credits, and give bonus
lessons if proper.

When we make this change, we'll monitor to decide if this should go on
indefinitely, or end after a period. We'll announce when it goes in, and
announce when we decide to take it out or let it stay.


What are we doing?
------------------
All credit market buys will give you bound credits. If you had bonus
lessons coming from binding credits, then you will receive those bonus
lessons (see HELP LESSONS, where bonus lessons are discussed).

This will not change private credit transfers. Private credit transfers
will still be based on unbound credits only, on both ends.


Why are we doing this?
----------------------
We'd like to see lower credit prices.

Perhaps a bit more detail would be helpful. We hope to remove remove
what appears to be one huge part of the upward pressure on credit
prices: speculators.

We have watched the credit market for some time and noticed that a very
large number of offers of credits for sale are made by credit
speculators. These speculators buy credits and then offer them for
resale, usually without delay, at a higher price.

Whatever else may result from this change, we are quite sure that
speculation will cease. And people will probably not be using credits as
a way of avoiding the use of banks.


When are we doing this?
-----------------------
Probably in another real life day or two. Maybe three. We'll tell you!


What should you do?
-------------------
If you have some credits for sale and don't want to sell them in the new
system, by all means do CREDITS SELL NONE. Otherwise, just wait and the
change will come and your market buys will arrive as bound credits.


What else might happen?
-----------------------
- We hope that taking away this upward pressure on credit prices will
mean that they'll drop.
- Probably a lot more transactions will occur privately.
- Maybe everybody's skin will turn various shades of red and they'll all
start singing the Internationale (excellent * music, by the way!)
with an Achaean accent.

Honestly, we don't know for sure. This is why we're going to monitor and
decide if this has been a good change or not.

(*) Someone has pointed out that the Internationale was written in French.
Quite true! It was also never the official anthem of the Soviet
Union. And did you know that the old song "South of the Border
down Mexico Way" was written by two Irishmen, and sung most famously
by an Italian American, though is often thought of as country?

Penned by my hand on the 10th of Phaestian, in the year 456 AF.