December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: Getting into MIT is impossible
by Erp 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

> I noted with some interest, but little surprise, that the guy claiming MIT > required a 4.0 GPA and a 1600 combined SAT score could barely spell, and > had major problems making a coherent point. Methinks this is why MIT > rejected him, not his lack of a "1600." ... Not to point out something obvious about this but the person who wrote this did not have "guts" enough or, just likes his privacy a bit more than the average person, to come out and write this non-anonymously. But since that isn't why I am writing this, I'll leave off of it for now. ... The reason I am writing this is because I am "the guy claiming MIT required a 4.0 GPA and a 1600 combined SAT score." I was informed this by my school counselor, along with many other things which are as equally "obnoxious" to my possible college acceptances. -- I did point out though, in my letter, that my connection was experiencing sever lag for some reason. I did narrow that down to being because my servers call in server and account server where on two different networks. Another point to this is that in my family I am the best speller. It is possibly genetic, but it is mostly because of where I grew up and the other "backwoodsy" things of my "youth". Now I realise this sounds like a bunch of excuses and such, and yes I guess it is, but I can if I sit down and think about something for a milli second longer than normal, and don't let my left hand out race my right hand, type things with propper grammer and spelling to my current extent. Now if the one who did post that "anonymously" would be so kind as to say such "brave" statements outloud without his or her precious "anonymousity" it would be much appreciated. Other than that, I do believe that is about it to this later. Goodnight and fare you "well" Erp ps -- please excuse the quotes, I was using them for mor eaccenting and well for words that fit in my own way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check my poetry page if you would like to see more of my bad spelling and horrendous grammer at: http://www.digiforest.com/~erp/poetry.html

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Re:re : Best Computer School?
by iamme 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

what about purdue and caltech ? anyone has Carnegie Mellon University (C.M.U.) in Pittsburgh www ? he he man > From owner-cypherpunks(a)toad.com Wed Jan 29 14:57 SGT 1997 > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 20:23:53 -0500 > From: Matthew Toth <mst114(a)psu.edu> > To: SpyKing <spyking(a)thecodex.com> > Cc: cypherpunks(a)toad.com > Subject: Re: Best Computer School? > > MIT is one the best schools in the country for C.S. > Close behind is Carnegie Mellon University (C.M.U.) in Pittsburgh, > PA. (the folks who put out CERT.) Not sure how much Crypto they do, though. > >

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Re: News report RE:RSA Data Security Conference, pointer
by Declan McCullagh 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I don't think CNET has any idea what they're talking about. Perhaps they mean the Burns bill? I was over at Burns' office yesterday, and Pro-CODE hasn't been reintroduced yet -- they're looking for more co-sponsors -- so that's not even correct. *shrug* I have a report on this at netlynews.com in the Afterword section, BTW. -Declan On Wed, 29 Jan 1997 aaron(a)herringn.com wrote: > Report on RSA data security conference. Mentions 'Legislation in Congress > could ban mandatory key storage', anyone know what they're referring to? > > http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,7437,00.html > > > >

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Re: Fighting the cybercensor
by Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

"Phillip M. Hallam-Baker" <hallam(a)ai.mit.edu> writes: > The Cold War was not won by the arms race, it was won in > Eastern Europe which was never a major participant. The main > instrument that won it was West German TV which broadcast > pictures of supermarkets with full shelves into the homes > of East Germans every night. The viewers could see that it > was not mere propaganda and their relatives confirmed the > fact. As a result the East German guards on the Berlin wall > simply decided to leave their posts one night. Do a lot of Americans really believe such things? --- Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps

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Re: Last nail for US crypto export policy?
by Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

On Wed, 29 Jan 1997 f_estema(a)alcor.concordia.ca wrote: [stuff] > > Incidentally, I remind you of the results of the moot court that was held > at one of the CFP conferences, where a GAK case was tried in front of > real federal judges by real lawyers. Our side lost. > Um. Actually the real judges didn't render an opinion (in public) since they might have to rule for real someday and would probably be conflicted out if they had ruled on the merits in a mock trial. The opinions were by a shadow panel of law professors, and they disagreed, 2-1. == The above may have been dictated via Dragon Dictate 2.51 voice recognition. Please be alert for unintentional word substitutions. A. Michael Froomkin | +1 (305) 284-4285; +1 (305) 284-6506 (fax) Associate Professor of Law | U. Miami School of Law | froomkin(a)law.miami.edu P.O. Box 248087 | http://www.law.miami.edu/~froomkin Coral Gables, FL 33124 USA | It's warm here.

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DES challenge status?
by Ben Byer 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- What exactly is the status of RSA's DES contest? I understand that at least two of the smaller contests have already been cracked, but I haven't seen much beyond theoretical discussion on the list on the topic of the DES contest. What work has been started on this contest? I am aware of Peter Trei's excellent deskr software for win32, but at the moment it chokes on RSA's real contest data as distributed. Has anybody yet worked on porting a version to x86 Linux, with nice, fast, inline assembly? How about a keyrange-server? This contest is so huge that any procedural innovations will probably be much more helpful than getting an early start. Has anybody started work on this yet, or is everyone else waiting for someone else to do it? - -- Ben Byer root(a)bushing.plastic.crosslink.net I am not a bushing -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQB1AwUBMvAb/LD5/Q37XXHFAQFxtQL/b7PeoWoO8gW0R35eOcA7yDmNOzg5IbIX xbrWkX0D7Tnj+8BxeQkRs2lOhhB6D6V/oh7RO6zMUwbNVaPDng0vjZXEmHAUVPnL XwSfekx47rgc43mVuXJoyval1zZuKDjE =h76F -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: New export controls to include code signing applications
by pgut001＠cs.auckland.ac.nz 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The Men in Black made Lucky Green <shamrock(a)netcom.com> write: >[Listing specific software prohibited from export] >"c.2. "Software" to certify "software" controlled by 5D002.c.1; " > >And, btw, virus checkers are also prohibited from export. Makes you wonder. > >"c.3. "Software" designed or modified to protect against malicious computer >damage, e.g., viruses;" > >That includes every firewall product, every virus checker, every data security >product, and this regardless if the product uses crypto or not. The new >regulations go way beyond controlling crypto. The USG, in a massive power >grip, has put data security as a whole on the export control list. These aren't new regulations, they're old regulations which have resurfaced. I've managed to obtain a copy of part of the old pre-Wassenaar COCOM regulations, which contain the magic lines: 5.D.2.c Specific "software" as follows: 1. "Software" having the characteristics, or performing or simulating the functions of the equipment embargoed by 5.A.2 or 5.B.2. 2. "Software" to certify "software" embargoed by 5.D.2.c.1. 3. "Software" designed or modified to protect against malicious computer damage, e.g. viruses. This is from the October 1991 version. By October 1996 this had changed to: 5D002 c Specific "software" as follows: 1. "Software" having the characteristics, or performing or simulating the functions of the equipment embargoed by 5A002 or 5B002. 2. "Software" to certify "software" specified in 5D002.c.1. It looks like someone used the old COCOM regs as the basis for the EAR rather than the newer Wassenaar ones. The two are almost identical anyway except for a few minor points. It's likely that the anti-virus clause is due to bureaucratic bungling rather than malicious intent. Peter.

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Re: libsln.htm -- Is Libel a Crime?
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:20 AM 1/29/97 -0500, aga wrote: >On Tue, 28 Jan 1997, jim bell wrote: >> One obvious problem with the LACK of a criminal libel statute, from the >> standpoint of the "government-controlling-class," or "the bigshots," is that >> it's impossible to sue (and collect from) a (comparatively) poor person for >> defaming him...but it's still possible to put him in jail. Civil libel is, >> therefore, essentially useless to a government agent as a means of keeping >> the masses in line. >> >> >> Myself, I believe that libel should be eliminated as a cause of action in >> civil cases as well as it has, de facto, in the criminal area. If anything, >> the ability to sue for libel makes things worse: There is an illusion that >> this is easy and straightforward, if not economical. It is neither. The >> result is that people are actually MORE likely to believe a printed >> falsehood because they incorrectly assume that if it wasn't true, it >> couldn't be printed. >Interesting analysis here, but remember; libel is just one kind of >"defamation" and an action for defamation will always be actionable. Sure about that?!? >The constitution gives us the right to call the President a >motherfucker any time we want to, yes... >and it also gives the motherfucker >the right to sue. While admittedly it has been a long time since I've read the entire US Constitution, I am not under the impression that it does what you claim. Could you be more specific about the particular section which does this? > Sueing is better than fighting in the streets. For the LAWYERS, who are paid regardless of the outcome, that certainly appears to be the case. Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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Re: Fighting the cybercensor
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 10:41 AM 1/29/97 -0800, Sean Roach wrote: >At 09:40 PM 1/27/97 -0500, Phillip M. Hallam-Baker wrote: >>Thats because its a whacko solution that has no credibility >>or consistency. >> >>If anyone tried to set up such a market and a price went out >>on any of the heads of state fantasized about Mr Bell would be >>dead as a doornail in a week. >> >So you're saying that the system would work. Mr. bell would be targeted, a >price on his head, for starting that very system. Mr. Bell would be a >martyr, his system being proven by his own death. It would be some varient >of his idea that would be used to kill him, a bounty. Exactly correct. I will be killed by AP, my own invention. (however, I will be killed for merely DESCRIBING it, not only if I started the first instance of it.) Before I'd published the first part of AP, I knew and accepted what was going to happen. See AP part 7, at the end, quoted here: "Awe, that a system could be produced by a handful of people that would rid the world of the scourge of war, nuclear weapons, governments, and taxes. Astonishment, at my realization that once started, it would cover the entire globe inexorably, erasing dictatorships both fascistic and communistic, monarchies, and even so-called "democracies," which as a general rule today are really just the facade of government by the special interests. Joy, that it would eliminate all war, and force the dismantling not only of all nuclear weapons, but also all militaries, making them not merely redundant but also considered universally dangerous, leaving their "owners" no choice but to dismantle them, and in fact no reason to KEEP them!" "Terror, too, because this system may just change almost EVERYTHING how we think about our current society, and even more for myself personally, the knowledge that there may some day be a large body of wealthy people who are thrown off their current positions of control of the world's governments, and the very-real possibility that they may look for a "villain" to blame for their downfall. They will find one, in me, and at that time they will have the money and (thanks to me, at least partially) the means to see their revenge. But I would not have published this essay if I had been unwilling to accept the risk." Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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Re: RC5-12/32/5 contest solved
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 09:37 PM 1/28/97 -0800, stewarts(a)ix.netcom.com wrote: >Any bets on whether the $5000 RC5-12/32/6 contest will be solved >before the www.rsa.com contest status web page is updated? :-) > >Or how long before someone in the government starts talking about >how 56 bits takes 65,000 times as long to solve as 40 bits, >which is 26 years for a whole building full of computers, >and even 48 bits ought to take a month and a half for a whole >building full of computers (or supercomputers, if they hype it up....)? This, as I pointed out long ago, is why I didn't think a "crack the DES key" contest is necessarily a good idea, at least if it's ordinary Von-Neumann-type computers doing the searching. It makes DES look artificially good. Assuming it's possible to build a chip which tests solutions in a massively-pipelined mode, the 400,000 or so solutions per second tried (for what is probably a $2000 machine) would probably increase to 100 million per second per chip (at a cost of maybe $100 per chip, if implemented in parallel). That's 5000 times more economical, which would translate to a find in 2-3 days if the same dollars in hardware were invested. _THAT_ is the break we should hope the media publicizes, not the one that will eventually happen when accomplished by PCs or Suns, etc. Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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RE: Internet, Countries, Nationalism, etc.
by blanc 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: P.J. Westerhof >Franconics... Or Lesbonics of course, ................................................................. le femme fatale .. Blanc

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[IMPORTANT] E-Cash
by mixmaster＠remail.obscura.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

When Timmy C[ocksucker] May's mother gave birth to him after fucking with a bunch of sailors, she didn't know who the father was but decided to tell him that he was a Russian as the Russian sailor was the one who satisfied her the most. /\_./o__ Timmy C[ocksucker] May (/^/(_^^' ._.(_.)_

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Re: libsln.htm -- Is Libel a Crime?
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:20 AM 1/29/97 -0500, aga wrote: >On Tue, 28 Jan 1997, jim bell wrote: >> One obvious problem with the LACK of a criminal libel statute, from the >> standpoint of the "government-controlling-class," or "the bigshots," is that >> it's impossible to sue (and collect from) a (comparatively) poor person for >> defaming him...but it's still possible to put him in jail. Civil libel is, >> therefore, essentially useless to a government agent as a means of keeping >> the masses in line. >> >> >> Myself, I believe that libel should be eliminated as a cause of action in >> civil cases as well as it has, de facto, in the criminal area. If anything, >> the ability to sue for libel makes things worse: There is an illusion that >> this is easy and straightforward, if not economical. It is neither. The >> result is that people are actually MORE likely to believe a printed >> falsehood because they incorrectly assume that if it wasn't true, it >> couldn't be printed. >Interesting analysis here, but remember; libel is just one kind of >"defamation" and an action for defamation will always be actionable. Sure about that?!? >The constitution gives us the right to call the President a >motherfucker any time we want to, yes... >and it also gives the motherfucker >the right to sue. While admittedly it has been a long time since I've read the entire US Constitution, I am not under the impression that it does what you claim. Could you be more specific about the particular section which does this? > Sueing is better than fighting in the streets. For the LAWYERS, who are paid regardless of the outcome, that certainly appears to be the case. Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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Re: Fighting the cybercensor
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 10:41 AM 1/29/97 -0800, Sean Roach wrote: >At 09:40 PM 1/27/97 -0500, Phillip M. Hallam-Baker wrote: >>Thats because its a whacko solution that has no credibility >>or consistency. >> >>If anyone tried to set up such a market and a price went out >>on any of the heads of state fantasized about Mr Bell would be >>dead as a doornail in a week. >> >So you're saying that the system would work. Mr. bell would be targeted, a >price on his head, for starting that very system. Mr. Bell would be a >martyr, his system being proven by his own death. It would be some varient >of his idea that would be used to kill him, a bounty. Exactly correct. I will be killed by AP, my own invention. (however, I will be killed for merely DESCRIBING it, not only if I started the first instance of it.) Before I'd published the first part of AP, I knew and accepted what was going to happen. See AP part 7, at the end, quoted here: "Awe, that a system could be produced by a handful of people that would rid the world of the scourge of war, nuclear weapons, governments, and taxes. Astonishment, at my realization that once started, it would cover the entire globe inexorably, erasing dictatorships both fascistic and communistic, monarchies, and even so-called "democracies," which as a general rule today are really just the facade of government by the special interests. Joy, that it would eliminate all war, and force the dismantling not only of all nuclear weapons, but also all militaries, making them not merely redundant but also considered universally dangerous, leaving their "owners" no choice but to dismantle them, and in fact no reason to KEEP them!" "Terror, too, because this system may just change almost EVERYTHING how we think about our current society, and even more for myself personally, the knowledge that there may some day be a large body of wealthy people who are thrown off their current positions of control of the world's governments, and the very-real possibility that they may look for a "villain" to blame for their downfall. They will find one, in me, and at that time they will have the money and (thanks to me, at least partially) the means to see their revenge. But I would not have published this essay if I had been unwilling to accept the risk." Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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No Subject
by sales 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

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RE: Internet, Countries, Nationalism, etc.
by blanc 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: P.J. Westerhof >Franconics... Or Lesbonics of course, ................................................................. le femme fatale .. Blanc

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Re: RC5-12/32/5 contest solved
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 09:37 PM 1/28/97 -0800, stewarts(a)ix.netcom.com wrote: >Any bets on whether the $5000 RC5-12/32/6 contest will be solved >before the www.rsa.com contest status web page is updated? :-) > >Or how long before someone in the government starts talking about >how 56 bits takes 65,000 times as long to solve as 40 bits, >which is 26 years for a whole building full of computers, >and even 48 bits ought to take a month and a half for a whole >building full of computers (or supercomputers, if they hype it up....)? This, as I pointed out long ago, is why I didn't think a "crack the DES key" contest is necessarily a good idea, at least if it's ordinary Von-Neumann-type computers doing the searching. It makes DES look artificially good. Assuming it's possible to build a chip which tests solutions in a massively-pipelined mode, the 400,000 or so solutions per second tried (for what is probably a $2000 machine) would probably increase to 100 million per second per chip (at a cost of maybe $100 per chip, if implemented in parallel). That's 5000 times more economical, which would translate to a find in 2-3 days if the same dollars in hardware were invested. _THAT_ is the break we should hope the media publicizes, not the one that will eventually happen when accomplished by PCs or Suns, etc. Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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A comment on the censorship policy
by nobody＠REPLAY.COM 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I cannot understand how some of my (accurate) criticisms of Sandfort's censorhip polices---some in direct response to his own self-serving posts declaring himself not to be a flamer himself---are not making it to the "New and Improved Censored List," while inane posts from Toto, Thorn, and someone named "Nurdane Oksas" are appearing. (Oksas has the especially annoying habit of quoting entire posts and then appending a one-line piece of completely list-irrelevant fluff. Also, engaging in lovey-dovey posts with Vulis, who writes messages about how he longs to see Oksas naked.) This whole process is showing the worst of Sandfort's censorship policy. (If this is dumped into the "Not suitable for Cypherpunks to read" list, I urge those of you who see it to pass it on to the main list.) END --

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The Politics of Export Restrictions
by Rick Hornbeck 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Is it possible the unreasonable crypto export restrictions are simply being imposed at this time for the purpose of making Al Gore look good when he runs for President in 2000? In other words, his campaign could include promises to retract existing crypto export restrictions established by his predecessor. The campaign would be accompanied by slogans and rhetoric such as "export crypto, not jobs" and the crypto/high-tech community would support Gore and the Democratic party in droves.

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Re: Passphrase security
by nobody＠huge.cajones.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Deadwood Vilest K"arcinogen"OfTheMonth is so vile because rancid semen is dripping from all of his orifices. ^ ^ (o o) Deadwood Vilest K"arcinogen"OfTheMonth ( ) \___/ !_!

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Re: Fighting the cybercensor
by ichudov＠algebra.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

jim bell wrote: > Exactly correct. I will be killed by AP, my own invention. (however, I > will be killed for merely DESCRIBING it, not only if I started the first > instance of it.) Before I'd published the first part of AP, I knew and > accepted what was going to happen. See AP part 7, at the end, quoted here: > See, Phill, I was right. igor

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A comment on the censorship policy
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I cannot understand how some of my (accurate) criticisms of Sandfort's censorhip polices---some in direct response to his own self-serving posts declaring himself not to be a flamer himself---are not making it to the "New and Improved Censored List," while inane posts from Toto, Thorn, and someone named "Nurdane Oksas" are appearing. (Oksas has the especially annoying habit of quoting entire posts and then appending a one-line piece of completely list-irrelevant fluff. Also, engaging in lovey-dovey posts with Vulis, who writes messages about how he longs to see Oksas naked.) This whole process is showing the worst of Sandfort's censorship policy. (If this is dumped into the "Not suitable for Cypherpunks to read" list, I urge those of you who see it to pass it on to the main list.) END --

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Re: The Politics of Export Restrictions
by Greg Broiles 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 09:44 PM 1/29/97 -0800, Rick Hornbeck wrote: >Is it possible the unreasonable crypto export restrictions are simply being >imposed at this time for the purpose of making Al Gore look good when he >runs for President in 2000? I suppose it's plausible, but it's an opportunity open to both candidates, and more plausibly (because of lack of collaboration) to the Republicans - e.g., Dan Quayle and the "Crypto Freedom For Americans" platform, promising to rescue Silicon Valley from those evil regulatory Democrats. If I were an evil politician trying to set up a trick like you suggest, I think I'd want a scheme that my opponent(s) couldn't hijack and use against me. -- Greg Broiles | US crypto export control policy in a nutshell: gbroiles(a)netbox.com | http://www.io.com/~gbroiles | Export jobs, not crypto. |

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The Politics of Export Restrictions
by Rick Hornbeck 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Is it possible the unreasonable crypto export restrictions are simply being imposed at this time for the purpose of making Al Gore look good when he runs for President in 2000? In other words, his campaign could include promises to retract existing crypto export restrictions established by his predecessor. The campaign would be accompanied by slogans and rhetoric such as "export crypto, not jobs" and the crypto/high-tech community would support Gore and the Democratic party in droves.

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Re: Altavista
by Leonid S Knyshov 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Isn't it the future of internet advertising? I mean its just like Juno's and other companies, the only ads shown to customers are those that are relevant to their needs as submitted. Like do a search for web promotion and you are gonna get ads of various services etc. It is highly unlikely that detailed logs are kept since Alta-vista gets overwhelming number of hits. The way I go around all these ads is that I use Internet Fast Find by symantec and I love it, I purchased it after evaluating for 3 days. Sorry for commercial ;) I think it is a good idea, no wonder doubleclick.net is one of the leaders in advertising. You are shown only the ads that will potentially interest you, search for shopping and you are gonna get one of those ISN ads etc. I think it is a good idea FWIW. I wouldn't think that a company such as doubleclick.net will do you any harm. One of my job assignments is Internet research and I search for such variety of topics that those robots have no use on the information submitted. On the other hand, if I find my site on Altavista and go to it, in my referer_log I will see the entire search query and that is a valuable marketing information, you learn about how the customer found you etc. Well, this list isn't marketing101(a)anywhere.com so I am afraid I won't bother with more thorough explation :) I am sorry if you consider this an OFFtopic message but I am just answering the question. On Wed, 29 Jan 97 01:03:35 EST mjw(a)VNET.IBM.COM writes: >From: Mark Waddington >Subject: Altavista > >> However, the doubleclick.net ads appear to bear no relationship to >the >> keywords being searched... > >Interestingly, I've just noticed over the last couple of days that the >in-line >ads are directly relevant to the search words I enter. I did a search >yesterday >on "Quicken" and "security" and all the in-line ads I was shown >referred to >security or penetration detection products. >

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