I totally agree with the major thrust of this: A peer-to-peer OTC style exchange. The OTC bitcoin exchange is limited by the IRC technology and is just not efficient. ...
For me the significant difference to your later proposal: With otc I need to build up trust only with a few individuals. Which needs a certain care, this is true.
I prefer to do so instead of some anonymous or pseudonymous agents I do not know much about.
For example: As comes out MtGox is NOT the original Magic the Gathering Online Exchange people but someone they just sold it to. Why should I trust them? Or Trade Hill or Bitcoin 7?
How did they
earn my trust?