From: "Perry E. Metzger" <perry@piermont.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 00:01:33 -0700 (PDT)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Swan song...
Message-ID: <199610100701.DAA13077@jekyll.piermont.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Well, folks, after four or five years here, I'm finally leaving.

I've picked this moment for two reasons.

First, the signal to noise ratio here is now too low to be measured
without expensive lab equipment -- as bad as Usenet, or even worse.

Second, I now have two candidate sites to host a new
cryptography & cryptography politics mailing list to replace this one.

The new list will be run very tightly. Some people will doubtless
label me a fascist and say I'm impinging on their ability to be
"free". Those that feel that the best use of their freedom is to
urinate into their own drinking water are entitled to their beliefs --
but they will not be welcome on the new list.*

It is time to get back to cryptography.

You all remember cryptography, don't you? Its the "cipher" in CYPHERpunk.

Years ago, on cypherpunks, Phil Karn noted, after Stuart Baker of NSA
named his nightmare vision of strong crypto embedded in every $20
phone and every fax machine, "Gentlemen, I believe we have our design
specification." One cannot imagine that sort of thing being said here
now.

Four years ago, PGP 2.0 was released, and the first shot was sent
across the bow of those that would stop us. It is more than time to
fire off another round or two.

Cypherpunks file lawsuits!
Cypherpunks develop protocols!
Cypherpunks write RFCs!
Cypherpunks start companies!
Cypherpunks WRITE CODE, damn it!
Cypherpunks don't wait for the administration to move -- they move
  first! They move FASTER!
Cypherpunks don't wait for someone else to deploy cryptography -- they
  deploy it themselves!
Cypherpunks do not sit on their asses and pull their puds while
  discussing warmed over theories about personal freedom.
Cypherpunks BUILD THE TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT THE THEORY!
Cypherpunks don't fantasize, they create!

In short, CYPHERPUNKS DO! They don't live for blather.

Cypherpunks Mark I used to be a glorious place.
Son of Cypherpunks may fail, but we must make the attempt to create it.

In short,
Cypherpunks is dead,
Long live Cypherpunks!

I will post pointers to the new list within ten days -- on or before
October 20, 1996.


Perry

* Those that feel that peeing into their own drinking water is a good
idea are directed to 
  http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/coe/snuffit2/living_water.jpg
and
  http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/coe/snuffit2/lifewater.html
where you will find others who agree with you.