From: an12070@anon.penet.fi
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 93 19:42:02 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: `Stalled' Progress
Message-ID: <9308160236.AA02030@anon.penet.fi>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


we've accomplished a great deal as cypherpunks so far, but major
obstacles are in place of our ambitious goals. here are some critical factors:

* it is extremely difficult find sites willing to donate computer
cycles, space, and management despite that it is rather abundant in the
world. virtually every cypherpunk idea requires some cycles & space
somewhere. building up all these things on student accounts is
commendable but a foundation of quicksand in the long run. rumor has it
even soda.berkeley.edu ftp site (perhaps the most critical cypherpunk
element other than the mailing list) is being run off a student
account. ideally a list of volunteering sites could be created and
individual cypherpunks could contact the sites independently.

* the internet itself is very hostile in general to most cypherpunk
ideas, including digital cash, anonymous remailing, etc. because of
nonuniform policies and general resentment and taboos on anything
commercial. to some degree only prototypes can be created in this
atmosphere, but even prototypes of our most critical ideas are lacking.
great attention should be placed on identifying and cultivating
emerging networks where commercialism is officially sanctioned and encouraged.

* the `i thought you were doing that' factor. with no organization and
coordination, the effort and energy of the group is needlessly
dissipated and tragically wasted. in fact, many cypherpunks have
philosophies that are exceedingly antagonistic toward and distrustful
of any oversight or coordination, and frequently assume that others are
making progress in some area when in fact no one is.

* to a large degree, despite the commandment `cypherpunks write code',
the `cypherpunks' have always gained their cohesion more from political
ideology than implementing tangible systems. 
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