From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997 04:04:22 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: Things we should be working on...
In-Reply-To: <v03102808b0314226079c@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <v03102810b0321f16eff2@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 12:28 PM -0700 9/2/97, Ian Goldberg wrote:
>In article <v0310280cb031dea9cd30@[207.167.93.63]>,
>Tim May  <tcmay@got.net> wrote:
>>All credit to Goldberg and all, but hardly accomplishing  very interesting
>>goals (helps Ian get a good job, that's certainly true). Maybe it'll
>>cause slightly stronger crypto to be allowed for export...I don't really
>>care too much about that.
>>
>>In fact, the whole focus on _exports_ and doing things to make exports
>>easier is a _detour_, even a _derailment_. As I've said, I'll start
>>worrying about Netscape getting a license when they start paying me.
>>Until then, foreigners should just bypass what Netscape provides and
>>use drop-ins.
>
>I have to disagree here.  The export issue is very important to me.
>For me, crypto export isn't about Netscape getting their 128-bit crypto
>overseas; it's about me being allowed to publish my research on the net,
>or give "technical assistance" to foreigners.  As long as the current
>export regs are in place, my ability to publish, collaborate in, and
>by extension, perform, research in pure or applied cryptography is
>severely hampered.

Fair enough, and that's exactly what the focus of the Bernstein and Junger
cases is on.

The Washington nonsense would do essentially nothing about the issue of
whether crypto is speech, and might even weaken the pending legal cases.


>
>The effect the crypto regs have on me is that any time I want to actually
>_implement_ something and publish it, I have to wait for school breaks,
>go home (to Canada), do all of the work there, and publish it from there
>before I return to Berkeley.  This obviously cuts down on the rate at which
>I can get things done.  Americans don't even have this option. If not
>for problems like this, S/WAN would certainly be further along than it is
>now.

My understanding was that you had to do most of your work in Canada because
of U.S. restrictions on those with student visas?

Certainly you are just as much in violations of the EARS by going to Canada
to do your crypto work as Rivest and Company would be in by crossing into
Canada to develop stuff for RSADSI.

Am I missing something here?

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."