From: "David Lesher / hated by RBOC's in 5 states" <wb8foz@wauug.erols.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 12:30:42 -0800 (PST)
To: hal@rain.org (Hal Finney)
Subject: Re: New crypto regulations
In-Reply-To: <199612301757.JAA00424@crypt.hfinney.com>
Message-ID: <199612302030.PAA05013@wauug.erols.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Hal Finney sez:
> 
> In this light, the explicit exemption for printed materials is really
> quite welcome.  It has never been 100% clear that a book of source code
> is exportable.  Yes, we've had some favorable court cases recently but
> none of these have been fully resolved.  Rumors were posted here that
> the NSA came very close to trying to stop the export of the original PGP
> source code book from MIT Press (and supposedly arranged for MIT to be
> punished later for its audacity).

My uncharitable side says that is because they wanted to stay as far
away from cries of "book-banning" as they could. If nothing else, IN
THAT NARROW CASE, reason prevailed over fervor.

And I caution against thinking in terms of "NSA did" in favor of
"Under FBI pressure, NSA did" just to remind ourselves where the
real battle lies..... 

-- 
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