From: eric@remailer.net (Eric Hughes)
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 94 06:41:38 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Legal implications of a PGP DLL
In-Reply-To: <9412140032.AA25902@homer.spry.com>
Message-ID: <199412141539.HAA04071@largo.remailer.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


   From: bshantz@spry.com

   [..] I never found out [...] what was decided in regards to the
   legal implications of a PGP functional DLL for Windows.

If a PGP DLL were rewritten from scratch and placed in the public
domain the only concern would be patent licensure.  By rewriting,
you've removed any sort of copyright issue.

The only was you'd get an RSA license is to use RSAREF.  That means
that use of the DLL would be restricted to non-commercial use.  You'd
also need an IDEA license, but I suspect that if you're just doing
something PGP compatible you'd be able to obtain that, especially
since it would be non-commercial because of RSAREF.

If you need commercial accessibility, you'd need licenses from RSADSI
and Ascom-Tech.  You could then give the DLL away, but RSADSI wants
minimum royalties, so you'd be subsidizing the public.  I don't know
the situation with Ascom.

Eric