From: Paco Xander Nathan <wixer!wixer.bga.com!pacoid@cactus.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 93 23:38:54 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Raving on...
In-Reply-To: <9304281204.AA05215@nexsys.nexsys.net>
Message-ID: <9304290515.AA21342@wixer>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


"Sent from the cyberdeck of: Geoff White"

> > >Hmm... the problem is I don't think a majority of the people at raves are
> > >focused enough to concentrate on something as technical as that (I KNOW it
> > >isn't technical to you and me, but the average raver doesn't even
> > >know what the word encryption means).  HOWEVER, raves ARE the ideal place
> > >to hand out info about what's going on, something the raver can cling onto

Our company, FringeWare, has been out doing brain machine demos at
raves for a while..  I'm still trying to catch up on sleep from last
weekend's rave construction & show :-)

The raves started as socio/politial but in many places have become 
yet-another-club-hop-for-kids-with-time-to-kill.

Even so, sentiments are in the right place, guaranteed.  Especially
among the *RAVE PROMOTERS* ..  The promoters are already sensitive to
issues in common with cypherpunks since they tend to be underground
operations in the cash economy, etc.  Plus, they're HEAVILY networked.

As a techno/gonzo journalist, I've found it EASIER to get in with hacker
cliques than with rave promoter cliques; granted the real stakes are 
higher so they take security more seriously :-)

Also, I'm intrigued to see the overlap (at least in this area) between
ravers and people at EFF-Austin mtgs..  Some of the main u/g promoters
even showed up to EFF-A's CopCon a couple weeks back, so the overlap
in our agendas is valid.

I'd tend to go with the argument that actually signing keys or passing
out pamphlets during a rave would be weird and blow the mood.  Maybe you'd
say "So what?" but to an entertainment promoter, mood means everything 
and only a few cypherphuckups would spread a terrible image for us.  I'm
generally the most hi-tech part of these raves, what with the sound/light
brain gizmos and even that's too left-brained some ravers..  Most want to
experience, not engage in discourse.  With pheromones and alkaloids
being some of the dominant attractions for people attending, I could
agree more :-)

Which is why I'd suggest we tag along with the VRrave project, based on
IRC connex between concurrent raves.  That'd present a hi-tech set & 
setting and allow for some demo/experience of secure comm.  

Do what you can to introduce/instruct the local promoters -- but 
generally they're busy people with better things to worry about, like
liability and overhead not somebody else's political agenda.

pxn.
pacoid@wixer.bga.com