On Thu, Jan 13, 2000 at 09:08:57PM -0800, Brian Lavender wrote:
> My whole thought is, exportation restrictions really have no meaning,
> because with the Net, encryption is readily available.
Export restrictions do have a large impact. While it is possible to
download and install many cool secure software programs it restricts the
pool of programmers to outside the US. It prevents US based companies
from integrating encryption into their products. Telnet, ftp, pop, etc
would have been replaced or upgraded to provide secure communication
channels if it weren't for the silly restrictions. These restrictions
are the reason for IPSec and a number of other things not being in the
main linux kernel and also keep things like SSL out of Apache's and
Mozilla's core.
Right now there is still a lot of hot air blowing around about lifting
these restrictions. I wouldn't hold your breath.
Encryption is available for those people concerned enough to go out of
their way to hunt for it and use it. When it's _really_ available GNUPG or
PGP signed email will be common.
****************************************************************************
* To UNSUBSCRIBE from the list, send a message with "unsubscribe lug-nuts"
* in the message body to majordomo@saclug.org. Please direct other
* questions, comments, or problems to lug-nuts-owner@saclug.org.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 25 2000 - 14:29:10 PST