ietf-openpgp
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Re: Proposed Extensions to TLS for OpenPGP

1997-12-31 17:22:47
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At 14:25 31-12-97 -0800, EKR wrote:
Try to solve the following two examples:
Netscape and Microsoft. Netscape has downloads off their web site.
They want them to be easy. That means that the user can just
point and click. That means the crypto must be exportable or none
at all. Which do you suggest?

A non-U.S. download site.

Next consider Microsoft. They embed their browser in the OS (at
least for now.).

That browser is downloadable separately, legal briefs notwithstanding. The 
128-bit version is available *now* from the U.S. site, separately from 
Win95. That means it can be downloaded separately from a non-U.S. site, 
separately from Win95, *if* Microsoft decides that it will do such a thing.

They want to ship that to foreigners. Again,
the crypto has to be exportable or nonexistent. Which do you
suggest?

It is exportable, just not in electronic form.

So, what do you suggest these companies do?

-Ekr

Will made several suggestions. Your assertion that he did not offer any 
suggestions just ignores the fact that he did.

I use the Win95, point-and-click-download-and-install version of PGP, 
legally available outside of the U.S. Not vaporware, or legal briefs, or 
statements about feasibility, legality, or possibility, but honest to 
goodness software. A real-world example of what is possible. The reasons 
that other companies do not do this are not technical or legal, but are 
based on policy decisions made in those companies.

Is PGP Inc capable of things that Microsoft and Netscape are not? The very 
idea sounds ridiculous given the relative resources available.

It's not that they can't, it's that they won't.

There may be good reasons they won't, but let's not pretend that they 
*can't*, or that they don't have the resources to do it.

 --
 Anthony E. Greene <agreene(_at_)pobox(_dot_)com>

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