About timestamping process
Is there any limitation on the file to be timestamped?
Are the contents of my file kept confidential during the process of timestamping?

About timestamping service
Why digital certificates alone are not enough?
Who can make use of timestamping service?
Is timestamping applicable in my business case?
Why should I use timestamping in intellecutuall property protection?
Why should I use timestamping in e-commerce?

About cooperation
If I am interested in the timestamping project, can I become a business partner of the project?
What is the role of a business partner?
What are the benefits of becoming a business partner?
Who can be a TSA?

About the demo
Can I try generating my timestamps?
Why do I fail to generate a timestamp in the demo?
How to verify the authenticity of a timestamp?
Why do I fail to verify a timestamp?
What can I do if I lose my timestamps?
How can I get a checklist of my timestamps?
Can I apply timestamping on my homepage?

Is there any limitation on the file to be timstamped?
No. Any digital files can be timestamped. Timestamping process is to generate a hash from the file and then timestamp the hash. A file can be timestamped without any technical difficulties regardless of its format and size. The only difference is that it may take longer time to generate the file's hash if the file is too big.

Are the contents of my file kept confidential during the process of timestamping?
Yes. Timestamping process only requires the hash of a file. The contents of the file remains in your computer, only the hash is sent over the Internet. It is impossible to recover any details of the file by analyzing the hash.

Why digital certificates alone are not enough?
A digital certificate only provides the identity of a person or a company in any electronic transaction or action, but not the time of performing the action. If a secure, reliable third-party time source is a key element in the business transaction or the situation, timestamping service is needed.

Who can make use of timestamping service?
Timestamping can be applied to many areas. The following is some examples of making use of timestamping:
- Anyone with intellectual property, such as ideas, designs, images and books, can make use of timestamping service to witness their copyrights online and protect their intellectual properties.
- Corporations can use timestamping service in e-commerce, especially those time-sensitive ones, to prevent fraud and repudiation.
- Accountants can close the financial books electronically and timestamp them to prove that they have not been altered since then.

Is timestamping applicablein my business case?
If time is a crucial element in some part of your business, timestamping is applicable in your business case. For more details, please contact us at webmaster@e-timestamping.com.

Why should I use timestamping in intellectual property protection?
The traditional way of witnessing copyrights is to go to a notary, which is expensive and inconvenient. By using timestamping service, writers, designers and people doing creative work can have copyrights witnessed inexpensively, quickly and conveniently online on their own computers. At the same time, confidentiality is ensured as no one can peep into the contents during timestamping process.

Why should I use timestamping in e-commerce?
Using timestamping in e-commerce can prove that transactions occur at particular time and the contents have not been altered since then. The contents of transactions are kept confidential. Using timestamping service can prevent fraud and repudiation on time. Customers and suppliers will have confidence in buying and selling on the Internet.

If I am interested inn the timestamping project, can I beceome a business partner of the project?
Yes. If you are interested to become our business partner, please send an email to webmaster@e-timestamping.com with the following information: the name of your company, the business nature of your company, the name of a contact person, his/her email address and contact number.

What is the role of a business partner?
As a business partner, you can have different levels of cooperation with us. Firstly, we will introduce the project to you. Then we will study your company's daily activities to see how you can apply Electronic Time-Stamping service. You can give comments and suggestions on our project, adopt and apply the project results in your business, or send your IT staff to discuss system integration with us.

What are the benefits of becoming a business partner?
As a business partner, you can get first-hand knowledge of the technology and have a direct influence on the direction of the development. Also, you will have the priority in launching application with the technology. As our collaborator, you are likely to enjoy free implementation of the project results.

Who can be a Time-Stamping Authority (TSA)?
There is no official TSA in Hong Kong yet. Any organization interested to be a TSA can contact us at webmaster@e-timestamping.com.

Can I try generating my timestamps?
Yes. You can go to our web site Demo for Intellectual Property Protection to try timestamping. You just have to input your email address, a description for the file you want to timestamp and the full path of the file. Then you will receive your own timestamp. The demo is free of charge.

Why do I fail to generate a timestamp in the demo?
It is possibly because you have not input your email address, a description for the file or the correct full path of the file. Also, if you use a Chinese file name, the demo may not work.

How to verify the authenticity of a timestamp?
To verify a timestamp, you need to have the original data file that has been timestamped (or a copy that is exactly the same as the original) and a corresponding timestamp file. You go to Timestamp Verification Page and input the full paths for both files. Then the Time-Stamping Authority will do the verification.

Why do I fail to verify a timestamp?
It is possibly because the timestamp file does not correspond to the data file, the data file has been modified, or the timestamp file has been modified. Make sure you keep an exact copy of the timestamped file for future verification.

What can I do if I lose my timestamps?
You can go to Timestamp Retrieval Page and input the email address that you used in the timestamping process. An email will be sent to you for retrieving the timestamps.

How can I get a checklist of my timestamps?
You can go to Timestamp Retrieval Page and input the email address that you used in the timestamping process. An email will be sent to you containing the information of all your timestamps.

Can I apply timestamping on my homepage?
Yes. Timestamping can help you if you are worried that others may steal and claim ownership of the works you put on your homepage. You can timestamp your creative works before posting them on your homepage. Then you put the timestamp logos beside your works to allow visitors to verify the timestamps. As timestamps are strong evidence for proving the ownership of the works, they can deter plagiarism. To know the details of how to put the timestamp logos on your homepage, please go to http://www.e-timestamping.com/Ippdemo/createweb.html.