From: Zooko Journeyman <zooko@xs4all.nl>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 01:57:16 +0800
To: cypherpunks@ssz.com
Subject: John Young, stegonym
Message-ID: <199711131747.SAA14458@xs1.xs4all.nl>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




Most pseudonym users cope with the possibility that Mallet
will hate what they say by ensuring that he can't figure out 
their True Name.  JY is the next step-- Mallet can't figure
out what he is saying, or if it is serious, so J remains safe.


Z

P.S.  Sorry to blow your cover, there, John...

P.P.S.  Of course "True Name" is a confusing, abused concept. 
There are three possible ideas-- (A): given a name "N", people
can map from N to your physical body, thus exposing you to the 
risk of extortion, assassination, etc., or (B): given an 
individual "I", people can find a name "M" such that they are 
sure I is the brain directly behind M.  Alternately, (C): given
a name "O" and a name "P", people can be sure that the brain 
directly behind O is not also the brain directly behind P.  
Both N and M and occasionally are sometimes thought of as "True
Names".  (B) and (C) can sometimes be desirable, but 
unfortunately most implementations of (B) and/or (C) imply (A).
(A) is never desirable.

P.P.P.S.  TCM is the opposite (regressive?)-- he goes out of 
his way to give a clear impression, to Mallet as well as to 
friends and strangers, that he is dangerous, violent, racist, 
homophobic, bigoted, emotionally disturbed, and irrational.  We
know better, but unfortunately not everyone is so perceptive.

P.P.P.P.S.  I know TCM likes discussing the True Name concepts
when he is in a good mood, but I hereby promise not to give him
the satisfaction of conversation until he writes 100 times on 
the blackboard "I am not a threat to myself, my neighbors, or 
the authorities.".