From: TruthMonger <tm@algebra.com>
Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 11:52:11 -0700 (PDT)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: The Brain: phones home all your URLs?
In-Reply-To: <354DF3DC.8F9E8ACB@best.com>
Message-ID: <354E0978.69B9@algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


gm wrote:
> I recently installed a copy of The Brain - a nifty UI shell.  But my
> Temporary Internet Files folder filled up with entries of the form:
> "http://<TheBrainsMotherURL>/<SomeDLLname>/<MY URL!>
> In other words each of my web accesses was 'phoned' in to the mother
> brain server, which invoked some back-end .DLL with my URL access as an
> argument.


Scenario #1: You're a CypherPunk who is dedicated to the creation and
dissemination of programs which enhance privacy and security in
InterNet software implementations.
  You want to create a secure program for a particular use, but you
are very busy with other projects and it would take about $30,000 to
farm it out to someone else...

Scenario #2:You are a Corporate Marketeer and you are dedicated to
gathering all of the end-user data possible to make the most efficient
use of your company's resources.
  You see the possibilities for creating the same program that the
CypherPunk is considering and you have a rather large budget...

Scenario #3:You are Head Honcho in the SeeAllKnowAll Department of the
Oppressors, and you are dedicated to keeping track of such things as
which hand Joe & Jane Citizen wipe their ass with.
  You the possibilities of the program the CypherPunk is considering,
you see the potential of 'adding to' the program needed by the
Marketeer, and you happen to have a mountain of resources at your
fingertips and close connections with the company the Marketeer is
working for...

Bottom Line:
  Britain, more comfortable with the marriage of Government, Corporate
and Individual interests in a Socialist/Fascist mix, are openly seeking
to merge the Government and Corporate interests in security, etc., in
the interests of the Citizen, of course.
  In the U.S. this is not happening. It is only a coincidence that all
goverment and corporate offices share the same building and resources
and this fact is only kept 'secret' in the interests of National
Security, and to fight terrorists, pedophiles, drug czars, and people
who wipe their ass with the 'wrong' hand.

Toto