From: Jamie Zawinski <jwz@netscape.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 17:49:32 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Crippled Notes export encryption
In-Reply-To: <v02120d07ad2cd42c8bfb@[192.0.2.1]>
Message-ID: <310738C8.52BF@netscape.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Lucky Green wrote:
> 
>> I would have to remove the des_encrypt() call from the authenticate()
>> routine before it can be exported...
> 
> What if you replaced it by rot_13 ()  ? Surely, they can't ban that. And
> someone later could just swap all rot_13 () for des_encrypt ()

But that's exactly the point: they can ban whatever they like, because
they refuse to tell you the rules.  You show them the code, and they say
"yes" or "no" without sharing with you their reasoning.  And their
reasoning can change at any time, and can be based on any number of
factors which you might consider unfair.

Logic and fairness have no place in this, because "National Security" is
the root password to the Constitution.

-- 
Jamie Zawinski    jwz@netscape.com   http://www.netscape.com/people/jwz/
``A signature isn't a return address, it is the ASCII equivalent of a
  black velvet clown painting; it's a rectangle of carets surrounding
  a quote from a literary giant of weeniedom like Heinlein or Dr. Who.''
                                                         -- Chris Maeda