From: tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 1995 12:04:43 +0800
To: Stephen Whitaker <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: toolkits?
Message-ID: <acc407190e0210046725@[205.199.118.202]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 12:41 AM 11/7/95, Stephen Whitaker wrote:
>OK folks, nobody seems to have any ideas how to keep our little state of
>Vermont from falling prey to mediocrity in the internet. I thought with so
>many highly opinionated people I would at least get a few good or at least
>entertaining suggestions.

You may have gotten no responses because it generally is not up to a state
government to ensure that "mediocrity" in the Internet is avoided (though
I'm not sure what is meant by "mediocrity." If it is security and
anonymity, this is definitely the state government's responsibility, or
even area of interest.)


>just might have a prayer of doing it right, whatever that is. What would it
>look like if secure communications and anonomynity were designed in from the
>start? Is this what Sameer is doing in Bezerkeley?
>
>What machines are considered minimum requirements to use these tools? What
>are the essential reference works?

"Security and anonymity" are not matters for government to ensure.

Imagine two Vermont residents, Bob of Burlington and Rhonda of Rutland. The
wish to communicate securely, and perhaps anonymously. Alas, the state
legislature in Montpelier is oblivious to their concerns, not even
answering their e-mail. What, oh what, are they to do?

Not to worry, as what Vermont does is irrelevant. Bob of Burlington can
encrypt his messages to Rhonda of Rutland and send them in any number of
ways. Compuserve, AOL, and (probably) Netcom will have local access points.


Happily, Rhonda of Rutland and Bob of Burlington (not their real names) can
communicate secretly, securely, and anonymously.

I urge you, Stephen, to read up on encryption and the benefits contained
therein. Looking to your state capital to secure your communications is a
lose.


--Tim May

Views here are not the views of my Internet Service Provider or Government.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
Corralitos, CA              | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^756839      | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."