From: Mark Aldrich <maldrich@grctechs.va.grci.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 1996 03:54:17 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Digital Signature Inititiative
In-Reply-To: <c=US%a=_%p=msft%l=RED-76-MSG-960323000445Z-4522@red-07-imc.itg.microsoft.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.SCO.3.91.960323140256.1956A-100000@grctechs.va.grci.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Stuart Theodore wrote:

<snip>

> * regarding the mac question - there already is a  version of Internet
> Explorer for the Macintosh, available for download at
> www.microsoft.com/ie. Microsoft is has already announced its committment
> to building cross-platform internet products.

If this is the case, then why did you discontinue Mac support for your 
own MAPI standard?  While the ability exists to bind cryptographic 
protocols onto your MS Mail a/o Exchange via MAPI (as we have done), you 
trashed MS Mail for the Mac.  Star Nine doesn't even have the ability to 
port MAPI onto the Mac, even though you sold them the rights to MS Mail 
server software for that platform.  You have crippled the 
interoperability of your so-called messaging standard between the Mac and 
Windows platform, thus preventing third party developers (such as myself) 
from being able to incorporate the use of different cryptographic engines 
seamlessly across your product line.

Now you say, "Microsoft is [sic] has already announced its committment      
 to building cross-platform internet products."  Excuse me, but this is 
exactly the same thing you used to say about cross-platform messaging 
products (before you woke up to the Internet).

Now, whenever I have to put together a messaging system or O/A 
environment that requires cryptographic protections, I tell my clients to 
avoid MS like the plague.  Hell, I'd rather work in VIM than deal with 
this "MS commitment" that turns out to be empty lies and marketing hype.

Forgive me if I, and any number of other people, assign no merit 
whatsoever to any so-called "commitment" from MS, particularly in regard 
to security and standards issues.

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|      Liberty is truly dead              |Mark Aldrich                 | 
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