From: rjc@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray)
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 93 18:52:21 PDT
To: owen@autodesk.com (D. Owen Rowley)
Subject: Re: your mail Re: on anonymity, identity, reputation, and spoofing
In-Reply-To: <9310190105.AA23713@lux.YP.acad>
Message-ID: <9310190147.AA24417@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


D. Owen Rowley () writes:
> I want privacy too, and I want as much free-wheeling as possible in the
> matrix. Personally I think that accountability is going to be required
> as the price for reasonably secure encryption, reasonably open access,
> and reasonably secure privacy of data. 

   Why should it be? Reasonably secure encryption, reasonably
open access, and reasonably secure privacy of data can all be
implemented without accountability. (I refer you to Public Key
cryptography, DC/Mix nets, and secret sharing) Perhaps in practice,
the majority of people will refuse to participate in such a network but
that does not stop crackers/pirates from using one. Crackers routinely
dick each other over because of lack of accountability, but the trade off
(getting free software/phone access) is better than (getting busted)

   Do you think I am accountable? If I didn't put my real name in my
sig you'd never be able figure out who I really am. Not even gnu, who
graciously allows me use of their machines, has my real address or phone.
The annex port that I log in on is set up incorectly allowing me to 
telnet anywhere without needing to use my student account (and thus not
linking rjc@ to my college where my really private info resides)

   rjc@ is simply my pseudonym. I could be Bill Clinton and you
wouldn't know, so why worry about it? What keeps me in line in the
reputation linked to rjc@ which I have spent a long time building up.
Acting like an asshole and choosing a new account name would waste a lot
energy that I put into posting these years.

   If you consider a BlackNet in terms of Interated Prisoner's Dilemma, it
makes sense that the good guys will outnumber the bad with a minority of
jerks (who can be controlled with intelligent filtering software)

> IMNSHO, it is unreasonable to expect an anarcho-libertarian outcome to
> these issues. If you can prove me wrong I will be thrilled.

  You made the assertion, the proof is up to you.

-- Ray Cromwell        |    Engineering is the implementation of science;    --
-- EE/Math Student     |       politics is the implementation of faith.      --
-- rjc@gnu.ai.mit.edu  |                         - Zetetic Commentaries      --