[net.invest] Home banking via UNIX

wa371@sdcc12.UUCP (Senior Gnome) (12/04/85)

Some banks, like Citybank (800-248-4472), and Chase Manhattan
(800-522-7766) offer banking by computer and modem.  But
they require the use of an IBM or similar personal computer.
Apparently they use a third level of security where a floppy 
disc, which they supply, is read from and/or written to.  Has 
anyone figured out the details?  How can I use UNIX, with tip(1)
perhaps, and make it look like a p.c. to the bank's computer?
Thanks.

Bernd <bear-nd>           *** hooray for USENET ***
UUCP: ...!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc12!wa371,   ARPA: sdcsvax!sdcc12!wa371@nosc
voice: (619)292-4451

ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) (12/06/85)

In article <488@sdcc12.UUCP> wa371@sdcc12.UUCP (Senior Gnome) writes:
>Some banks, like Citybank (800-248-4472), and Chase Manhattan
>(800-522-7766) offer banking by computer and modem...
>...  How can I use UNIX, with tip(1)
>perhaps, and make it look like a p.c. to the bank's computer?
>Thanks.
Or better yet, make your UNIX system look like the bank's computer
to the p.c. ;-)

zemon@fritz.UUCP (Art Zemon) (12/06/85)

In article <488@sdcc12.UUCP> wa371@sdcc12.UUCP (Senior Gnome) writes:
>Some banks, like Citybank (800-248-4472), and Chase Manhattan
>(800-522-7766) offer banking by computer and modem.

Just a brief comment.  I phoned both banks and got some
preliminary information verbally.  The basic services are pretty
similar -- bank by wire, toll-free phone access, etc.  The
differences were quite startling in a "competitive" market.

Citibank charges $10 per month + $0.25 per check.  The per check
fee will be waived if the total minimum balance in all of your
Citibank accounts is $1000.  The checking account is not
interest bearing.

Chase Manhattan charges $5.00 per month with no per check fee.
You have your option of either a standard checking account or a
couple of NOW (interest bearing) accounts.
-- 
	-- Art Zemon
	   FileNet Corp.
	   ...! {decvax, ihnp4, ucbvax} !trwrb!felix!zemon

ksb@houxs.UUCP (K.BANDES) (12/06/85)

------------

Chase Manhattan's home banking system, Spectrum, not only requires
the diskette to be in the drive, but also uses a proprietary protocol.
You can't use it on UNIX.  You can use it in an Apple II or a Commodore 64,
as well as in IBM PCs and clones.  I think it's really good, but then again,
I wrote a lot of it (my previous contract was at Chase).

I'm sure the guys working on it would love to port it to UNIX, so maybe 
if enough of you UNIX/PC owners write to them, the Chase marketing folks 
would decide to support it.

Ken Bandes
(on contract at) AT&T IS
...ihnp4!houxs!ksb

Disclaimer:
Spectrum is probably a trade- or service mark of Chase Manhattan Bank,
although it is also a car, a radar detector, a magazine, a phenomenon of
nature, etc.  I had (but no longer have) a very strong connection with
Spectrum and Chase, but I don't speak for them and never did.  I still 
have friends there, though.

craig@pyuxv.UUCP (12/11/85)

>Chase Manhattan's home banking system, Spectrum, not only requires
>the diskette to be in the drive, but also uses a proprietary protocol.
When I applied for Spectrum (SM) access, Chase Manhattan denied the
application because the software wasn't compatible with my AT&T 4000
modem.  What a shock.  I was under the impression that AT&T played some
historical role in the development of modems.

It was very disappointing to learn that my splendid little modem was
a dud to the Chase Home Banking and Information System. :-(
-- 
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
..!ihnp4!pyuxv!craig (RB Craig @ Bell Communications Research)
                                 Piscataway, NJ  08854-1300

Technology... wouldn't it cork your bobber?

ksb@houxs.UUCP (K.BANDES) (12/12/85)

>When I applied for Spectrum (SM) access, Chase Manhattan denied the
>application because the software wasn't compatible with my AT&T 4000
>modem.  What a shock.  I was under the impression that AT&T played some
>historical role in the development of modems.

I don't know that recognition of anyone's historical role was an important
motivation in the development of Spectrum.

The 4000 did not exist when the Spectrum software was developed.  Furthermore,
it is not Hayes compatible.  The Spectrum software uses the
Hayes dialing commands.  The issue is not whether the 4000 is a splendid
device (Spectrum supports the Commodore 64, which no-one would call
splendid), but whether it makes market sense for Chase to write a
special version to support it.


Ken Bandes
@ AT&T IS
ihnp4!houxs!ksb

DISCLAIMER:  I speak for myself.  I'm just a consultant, anyway.

craig@pyuxv.UUCP (12/14/85)

>>When I applied for Spectrum (SM) access, Chase Manhattan denied the
>>application because the software wasn't compatible with my AT&T 4000
>>modem.  What a shock.  I was under the impression that AT&T played some
>>historical role in the development of modems.
>
>I don't know that recognition of anyone's historical role was an important
>motivation in the development of Spectrum.
>
>The 4000 did not exist when the Spectrum software was developed.  Furthermore,
>it is not Hayes compatible.

What is so precious about Hayes compatibility...
Who elected them the 'IBM' of modems in the world at large!

>                            ..........The Spectrum software uses the
>Hayes dialing commands.  The issue is not whether the 4000 is a splendid
>device, ...but whether it makes market sense for Chase to write a
>special version to support it.

The real issue:  Why would Chase develop a system that was restrictive
as to modem protocal?  Dozens of good software developers have produced
communications packages that allow flexibility in modem access.  Products
like Crosstalk-XVI, SofTerm, ASCII Express, and many others make no
stipulation about modems.  These products don't care how modems are
labeled or what hieroglyphics are contained in their command set.
(Most products even support dumb modems.)

Speaking of dumb; market sense would seem to dictate that the broadest
possible base of hardware configurations be accomodated by any software
product.  That the Chase Spectrum developers chose otherwise is ____.
                                                (fill in blank  ^^^^)
-- 
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
..!ihnp4!pyuxv!craig (RB Craig @ Bell Communications Research)
                                 Piscataway, NJ  08854-1300

Technology... wouldn't it cork your bobber?

gnu@l5.uucp (John Gilmore) (12/15/85)

In article <165@pyuxv.UUCP>, craig@pyuxv.UUCP writes:
> >>        What a shock.  I was under the impression that AT&T played some
> >>historical role in the development of modems.
> >
> >I don't know that recognition of anyone's historical role was an important
> >motivation in the development of Spectrum.
> >
> >The 4000 did not exist when the Spectrum software was developed.  Furthermore
> >it is not Hayes compatible.
> 
> What is so precious about Hayes compatibility...
> Who elected them the 'IBM' of modems in the world at large!

I know it's rough for you AT&T guys to realize that you don't set the
standards any more, but "the market" (not the one this newsgroup is
for -- no flames please) elected Hayes.  They put out a good product
that ran rings around the AT&T modems (dialer?  that takes a separate
box, with a separate interface, and odd software support.)  While they
might not have invented dial-over-the-RS232-link, they recognized it
as a great idea, which AT&T is only now doing (in response).

Flames by mail please, *no further followups to net.invest*.  I'm at
ihnp4!l5!gnu.

It does sound odd that these banks would make something you can't call
up from a dumb terminal.  Maybe they think it will keep the hackers out.
It certainly keeps me out, though I don't see much use in paying $5/mo
when postage is only 22c.