On a related note, whuffie is not a new invention. There is no difference whatsoever between whuffie and money. They are perfectly synonymous. I get the feeling the author, and many of his readers, seem to believe that he has created something distinct from money (from the Wikipedia: 'Whuffie has replaced money...'). Whuffie, as a currency, is no more different from the dollar than the króna is from the euro.
As a descriptor of currency in an inconsequential economy it is somewhat useful. I happen to prefer the word "karma."
I like it - an OpenKarma standard for karma trading between different sites, maybe with a central exchange and a floating exchange rate. "I'll trade two HN points for one point of your reddit karma".
I should think that an HN karma point would be worth a lot more than half a reddit karma point! If anything, I'd say a HN:Reddit ratio of 1:10 or more...
At rates that good HN will be the first victim of the great karma rushes. Spectators will establish threads and mine each other for karma until so much has been generated that even diggs will purchase multiple hackerbucks.
