From: loki@infonex.com (Lance Cottrell)
Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 13:33:27 +0800
To: unicorn@schloss.li (Black Unicorn)
Subject: Re: connecting Uni to the Web O Trust
Message-ID: <adabfc74000210044343@[206.170.115.3]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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Look at the signators and judge for your self. When I look at the people I
trust through one level of introducer, I find I have a very high degree of
confidence in their identities. Two introducers out, it still looks fairly
good. I have not looked farther than that. It is the limit of my trust.

In many ways it is easier to establish the authenticity of a pseudonym than
a verinym. The only question with a pseudonym is whether the nym who posts
is the same nym who posted last time, and the time before that. If, over
the course of a year or two, there are no attempts to spoof the pseudonym,
then the key will have become well connected with the nym. That is all that
matters. Even if a "Sameer" has posted for years, I still have to worry if
the person's real name is Sameer (given the current understanding of the
meaning of a signature on a key).

I once refused to sign a key because I thought the driver's license was
forged, but I would be likely to accept a better forgery at authentic. I am
at least as confident of the identity of Uni as I am of many of the other
keys I have signed. The only ones I have more confidence in are those of
long time close friends, and family.

        -Lance Cottrell

At 10:21 PM 4/28/96, sameer@c2.org wrote:
>> (Sigh).  I'll say it yet a third time.  Get a current copy of my key which
>> is signed by at least three people on the web of trust.
>
>        As if this "web of trust" was actually worth something.
>
>--
>Sameer Parekh                                   Voice:   510-601-9777x3
>Community ConneXion, Inc.                       FAX:     510-601-9734
>The Internet Privacy Provider                   Dialin:  510-658-6376
>http://www.c2.net/ (or login as "guest")                sameer@c2.net

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----------------------------------------------------------
Lance Cottrell   loki@obscura.com
PGP 2.6 key available by finger or server.
Mixmaster, the next generation remailer, is now available!
http://www.obscura.com/~loki/Welcome.html or FTP to obscura.com

"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra.  Suddenly
it flips over, pinning you underneath.  At night the ice
weasels come."
                        --Nietzsche
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