From: jamesd@echeque.com (James A. Donald)
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 95 17:17:26 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Netscape speaks with a forked tongue:
Message-ID: <199512090118.RAA10458@blob.best.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Netscape speaks with a forked tongue:

Jim Clark, top guy and owner of netscape, has issued a statement in
support of government access to keys:


    "To secure Net communications, the government
      will need to have access to private data exchanges using
      what is known as a key escrow security system
     "

and he has issued a statement that Jeff (a netscape employee) has very
generously interpreted as anti GAK.  (Government access to keys)

The only clear and authoritative statement issued by Netscape on GAK
is Jim Clark's speech in support of GAK. Everything else is a cloud of
unintelligible fog, or was issued by people with no authority and
given a minimum of publicity.

Jim Clark's  supposedly anti GAK statement was incomprehensible to me.
Perhaps he needs a punchier ghostwriter:

I offer my services free of charge.  :-)

If Jim Clark wishes to persuade us that his heart is in the right
place, he should put something like the following somewhere on the
Netscape web pages:

    "Our customers do not want government access to
     their cryptographic keys.  Mandatory government
     access to keys violates the rights of our
     customers.  Therefore we will not foist
     government access to keys on those customers
     who have freedom to communicate securely.

     We will only build government access to keys
     into our products for those customers whose
     governments force them to provide such access.
    "

If that really is Netscape's policy, then they should tell the world
that that really is Netscape's policy, thus instantly relieving the
fear, uncertainty, and doubt created by the unfortunate widespread
misinterpretation of Jim Clark's original statements.

The only clear and authoritative statement issued by Netscape on GAK
is Jim Clark's speech in support of GAK. Everything else is a cloud of
unintelligible fog, or was issued by people with no authority and
given a minimum of publicity.




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http://www.jim.com/jamesd/      James A. Donald       jamesd@echeque.com