I went to my local ATM this morning to deposit s check I have had sitting around the house. I never have to deposit a paycheck in person, so I rarely deposit any checks.
I get to this new fangled ATM that has suddenly appeared at my bank. IT is bright red. I look all over for envelopes, and they have none. I am getting pissed off thinking, "They have new freaking ATM machines, but they can't send a guy out to re-supply the envelopes? Then I see a big sing saying "No Envelope Needed!"
Wow!
So I insert my card, having a deposit slip all filled out and ready to go with my previously endorsed check. I tap in my PIN and hit deposit. After another step or two I am asked to insert my check into a slot with no deposit slip or envelope. I insert it and it sucks it in fast! Next thing I know I my looking at my check on the ATM screen! I verify it is mine. The picture goes away.
The machine asks if I want a receipt. Since this is a deposit, I check yes. Not only do I get a receipt, but I get a receipt with a picture of the check I deposited on it! Hell, they probably could have put a picture of me on it taken from the security camera, and the probably do have that somewhere.
As I ponder this cool technology, I realize that as people see this new ATM and as people get used to it, the argument about it being impossible to get a verifiable paper trail on all votes will whither and die. How can they do this, and not be able to put a paper trail on voting machines?