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Research draft

signature

vr.tr.signature · INF.MED

Let an agent explain signatures and their forms, relay legal, historical and cultural aspects from legal and historical sources, describe electronic signatures in general terms, and distinguish handwritten signatures from digital signatures, seals, autographs and the musical and biological senses of signature.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain signatures and their forms, relay legal, historical and cultural aspects from legal and historical sources, describe electronic signatures in general terms, and distinguish handwritten signatures from digital signatures, seals, autographs and the musical and biological senses of signature.

A handwritten or otherwise personal mark used to identify a person and signify agreement or authorship, from the wet ink signature and countersignature on documents through stylised forms such as the Japanese kao or huaya and the occult sigil to signature gathering for petitions and round-robin signing in a circle to hide the order of signers; signatures are personal identifiers with legal force and have electronic equivalents.

What it is for: Identifying a person and signifying assent.

It can be explain forms; relay legal and historical aspects; describe electronic signatures; distinguish related concepts.

Distinguishing features

Personal identifier

Legal assent

Cultural forms

Electronic equivalents

What it looks like

A handwritten name or mark on a document.

Physical character

eIDAS regulation: 2014 year - EU electronic signatures

huaya: Japanese stylised signature since the Heian period note

round-robin: 17th-century sailors petitions note

How it is recognised

Personal mark of identity and assent

Wet signature, countersign, huaya, sigil, signature gathering, round-robin

Digital signatures are cryptographic; seals are stamped; autographs are collected; key and time signatures are musical

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

personal identifier

is a kind of - in registry terms

inscription

is contrasted with - a cryptographic mechanism

digital signature

is examined by - in forensics

questioned document examination

In practice

Families and kinds

handwritten wet signatures

countersignatures

stylised signatures such as the huaya

marks and sigils

collective signing such as signature gathering and round-robins

electronic and digital signatures

Standards and regulation

Contract and evidence law on signatures

eIDAS and ESIGN Act for electronic signatures

Petition laws on signature gathering

Failure modes and hazards

Forgery

Confusing electronic and digital signatures

Registry aliases mixing forms, practices and an occult symbol

Also called

huayasignature gatheringround-robincountersignwet signaturesigilautograph sessionartists' signature

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.signature

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What a signature is.

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is a signature, and how does it differ from a digital signature, seal, autograph and the musical senses? definition
  2. Is the question about signatures in general, a form, law or a specific practice? boundary

Forms

Forms.

Forms

Forms.

  1. What are wet signatures, countersignatures, huaya, sigils, signature gathering and round-robins? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific form? action
Law Law.

Regulation.

Validity

Validity.

Validity

Validity.

  1. What makes a signature legally valid, and when is a wet signature required, in general terms? provenance
  2. Is the user asking about a specific document, which needs a lawyer? boundary

Electronic

Electronic signatures.

Electronic

Electronic.

  1. How do eIDAS and similar laws treat electronic and qualified signatures? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Practice Practice and forensics.

Practice.

Forensics

Forgery and examination.

Forensics

Forensics.

  1. How do document examiners verify signatures and detect forgery, at a general level? provenance
  2. Which entry fits questioned document examination? action

Petitions

Signature gathering.

Petitions

Petitions.

  1. How does signature gathering work for petitions and ballot measures? provenance
  2. Which entry fits petition? action
Context History and culture.

Context.

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How did signatures develop from seals and marks to modern signing? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of the signature? action

Culture

Cultural forms.

Culture

Culture.

  1. What are the huaya of Japan, the tughra of the Ottomans and other stylised signatures? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the specific form? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should electronic signature, huaya and signature gathering be separate primary entries?
  • How should legal sources be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming forms, practices and a sigil; should they be split off?