From: Jon Orwant <orwant@media.mit.edu>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 11:18:09 -0800 (PST)
To: cryptography@c2.net
Subject: Disseminating public-key crypto source code
Message-ID: <199701201918.LAA15713@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



I've written a few Perl routines for public-key cryptography.  I'd
like to freely disseminate the source code (starting with ElGamal) to
as many people as I can,

It's my understanding that there are two orthogonal restrictions:

	1) ITAResque: I can't give code to non-U.S. citizens.
	2) PKPesque: Using public-key crypto is an infringement,
		     although disseminating/possessing the source
		     code is not.

While I'm sure these are oversimplifications, it would seem that I can
release my source code over the Internet provided I install a simple
verification mechanism (cf. MIT's PGP distribution) to ensure that
only people claiming to be U.S. citizens have access privileges.

Am I correct?  If so, why aren't more people doing this?

Jon Orwant
MIT Media Lab
orwant@media.mit.edu