From: Mark Rogaski <wendigo@pobox.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 07:28:26 +0800
To: tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)
Subject: Re: Snake-Oil FAQ
In-Reply-To: <ae6acbab000210047c0c@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <199609231634.MAA02010@charon.gti.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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An entity claiming to be Timothy C. May wrote:
: 
: The Basic Problem (tm) with a "Snake Oil FAQ" is that the very persons most
: in need of it won't read it.
: 
: If those who post descriptions of their "Unbreakable Virtual Whammo-Matic
: Really Complicated Transposition Cipher" have not bothered to read Schneier
: or other basic texts on ciphers, why would they bother to read a Snake Oil
: FAQ? This applies to their customers as well.

I disagree, I think AC is a pretty scary book for the kind of people who
need the Snake-Oil FAQ.  I think the primary target audiences are IS 
professionals who are considering integrating crypto into their data
communications and end users who want to send encrypted mail.  Neither
of these groups is going to embrace crypto if you toss them a tome
like AC.  And what is the primary goal here, if not to promote widespread
use of crypto and educate about what makes good crypto good.  We have to
approach the non-believers on their own ground ;)

mark

- -- 
    Mark Rogaski   | Why read when you can just sit and |      Member
  GTI System Admin |         stare at things?           | Programmers Local
  wendigo@gti.net  | Any expressed opinions are my own  |     # 0xfffe
 wendigo@pobox.com | unless they can get me in trouble. |     APL-CPIO

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