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Re: Compaq / DEC buyout
by Tim May 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 3:46 PM -0800 1/26/98, David Miller wrote: >Jim, I'm forwarding this to the list: > >Jim Choate wrote: >I think so. Tim had mentioned that last he heard the Intel/DEC deal was dead. >Perhaps this is what he was talking about. The thing is, how much about the This grossly distorts what I have said. I don't have time to sift through my posts on Intel and DEC, but I can't believe I said anything so simplistic as "the Intel/DEC deal is dead." (Or even "was dead," if we want to get into Clintonesque semantics.) --Tim May The Feds have shown their hand: they want a ban on domestic cryptography ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^2,976,221 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Fear, loathing, and Bill Gates (fwd)
by Declan McCullagh 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 14:14:51 -0800 (PST) From: Declan McCullagh <declan(a)well.com> To: politech(a)vorlon.mit.edu Subject: FC: Fear, loathing, and Bill Gates ******** Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 16:42:08 -0500 From: Don Bx <dboudreaux(a)fee.org> To: declan(a)well.com Subject: Re: More on Don Boudreaux "Calm Down" letter on Microsoft Declan, I had a thought that I must share. In reflecting upon the genuine hatred and fear that people increasingly have for Bill Gates and Microsoft, it occurred to me that this hatred and fear have much in common with the hatred and fear stirred up a decade or so ago against Japan. In both cases, people proved their affection for Japanese goods by buying them, but they also grew leary of Japan after being barraged on the air-waves by idiot pundits who insinuated that Japan had some sort of recipe for taking over the American economy. Economic serfdom was near, avoidable only by trade restraints. And, of course, behind this fear-mongering were U.S. rent-seeking firms that sought to be relieved of having to compete as vigorously as otherwise. Needless to say, Japan was never a threat to "take over" the American economy, or to harm it in any way. The same is true of Microsoft (as long as it doesn't rely upon government favors). The fear and hatred in both cases -- against Japan in the 1980s and against MS today -- is illogical and uninformed. But it is, for MS, increasingly real. Don ********* Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 23:02:07 -0600 (CST) From: Mac Norton <mnorton(a)cavern.uark.edu> To: Declan McCullagh <declan(a)well.com> Cc: politech(a)vorlon.mit.edu Subject: Re: FC: More on Don Boudreaux "Calm Down" letter on Microsoft Let me see if i get this right:DOJ got guns , MS don't got guns, therefore I'm for MS. Is that it? Gee thee's some heavy intellectual discourse going on here, you betcha. MacN ********* Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 16:23:25 -0500 (EST) From: Donald Weightman <dweightman(a)Radix.Net> To: declan(a)well.com Subject: Re: FC: More on Don Boudreaux "Calm Down" letter on Microsoft DB doesn't seem to know much about antitrust -- it *does* scrutinize strongarm tactics when wielded by someone with market power, as MSFT almost certainly has. The claim about harm to the economy is pretty far ranging for someone who seems to have no expertise in the field. As an example of where antitrust has done good, I'd point to the gov't-mandated restucturing of the electric utility industry in the '30's (actually administered by the SEC), which can be argued to have laid the groundwork for the huge productivity gains that industry made for the next three decades. Cheers Don ******** Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 16:59:05 EST From: JEisenach(a)aol.com To: declan(a)well.com Subject: Re: FC: "Calm down!" -- Don Boudreaux letter to NYT on Microsoft Now that Microsoft has given up its inexplicable defense of an indefensible licensing arrangement, it may be a lot easier for everyone involved to "calm down." Calming down should not, however, mean giving Microsoft carte blanche to use its undeniable market power to shape the future of the market for software. What it should mean is devising a workable policy for applying sound antitrust principles to the software business -- and that's a very big task. Many of Microsoft's arguments have merit. It is true, for example, that rapid innovation and low (physical) capital requirements for entry make its monopoly more vulnerable than it otherwise might be. However, other arguments Microsoft has offered -- for example, falling prices -- are pretty lame. Falling relative to WHAT? is the relevant question (look at industrial prices during the second industrial revolution -- which went through long periods of decline despite the emergence of the steel, oil, railroad, etc. trusts). As for Microsoft's "opponents," their case has a fair amount of appeal -- and it's not just visceral. Microsoft clearly has market power in the market for operating systems. Operating systems are required for personal computers to operate. Microsoft has exercised its market power pretty aggressively. And, it shows every intention of continuing to exercise its market power to delay innovations that threaten it and to extend its dominant position into future generations of technology. I don't think many people dispute anything in the previous paragraph. What people ARE concerned about, of course, is the potential for an overly intrusive and regulatory approach by government that could slow down innovation -- a policy built around the idea of protecting competitors rather than protecting competition. I frankly haven't seen Joel Klein say anything that suggests they are headed in this direction -- but I sure agree that "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Now that we all have a chance to "calm down," my hope is that a rational debate can emerge on the question of how the goals of antitrust law (i.e. a market free of impediments to competition, regardless of their source) can best be pursued in the software/computing business. And, I'm not prepared to concede that letting Microsoft exercise its market power without any restraints at all is the best we can do, even in this very imperfect world. To close with a plug: on February 5, The Progress & Freedom Foundation will be hosting a conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in DC on this very topic. Participants include a virtual "who's who" of the market-based "Chicago school" of antitrust economists and lawyers -- Nick Economides, Benjamin Klein, James C. Miller, Tim Muris, Dan Oliver, Bob Tollison, Robert Willig, etc. It's open to the public and reasonably priced. For information, see WWW.pff.org. ******** Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 09:02:15 -0500 From: Don Bx <dboudreaux(a)fee.org> To: declan(a)well.com My comment about the DOJ having guns and Microsoft not has drawn fire. Fair enough. But I defend my point, which is this: Microsoft gets customers only by offering them deals that they are free to accept or reject. No coercion is involved. If you don't buy MS products, no one threatens you with imprisonment or violence. In contrast, when government regulates commerce (beyond the enforcement of contracts and traditional tort and criminal law) it dictates the terms of exchanges -- ultimately at the point of a gun -- that we cannot be certain are mutually advantageous. When A and B exchange voluntarily with each other, we can be sure that both A and B each believes himself to be better off as a consequence of the exchange. When a third party wielding the threat of coercive power prevents these voluntary exchanges -- or imposes contract terms that would not otherwise be part of these exchanges -- we cannot be certain that the exchanges yield as much mutual benefit as when these exchanges are voluntary. Government possesses the monopoly authority to initiate coercion. This is an awesome power that in a civil and free society should be used sparingly. It should not be used to prevent firms from engaging in peaceful and voluntary exchanges with adults. Don Boudreaux ******* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to majordomo(a)vorlon.mit.edu with this text: subscribe politech More information is at http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Reba Performs What If Tonight!
by Mail 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Reba will perform "What If" tonight on the 25th American Music Awards! Reba is nominated for Favorite Female Country Artist! American Music Awards ABC -TV 8:00-11:00pm EST (Please check your local listings for times) RebaNews Copyright 1998 Starstruck Entertainment, All rights reserved.

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Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd)
by Tim May 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 1:44 PM -0800 1/26/98, BMM wrote: >The "Screamer 533" is currently shipping with a 533MHz Alpha. It is >reviewed in this month's "Linux Journal". > > >On Mon, 26 Jan 1998, Jim Choate wrote: > >> Unless my info is seriously off DEC is already shipping 500MHz Alpha's and >> has 1GHz chips in test. DEC historicaly has been way ahead of Intel (say a This is simply untrue, that DEC historically has been way ahead of Intel. The Alpha is a different type of chip. Anyone who has analyzed the past few years, the past decade, and the past couple of decades would have a hard time making the case that DEC has been ahead of Intel in the overall combination of design and manufacturing. As you should know, Intel will be making the Alpha chip, as its manufacturing capabilities are _overall_ in advance of DEC's. (Beware of comparing R&D or prototype fab capabilities with high volume fab capabilities...Intel has its own R&D fabs, currently developing 0.13 micron capabilities...DEC will not be participating in this move to sub-0.20 micron areas.) Many things go into the "who's ahead" calculation, besides just clock speed. Had that been the only significant issue, some of the aerospace companies with their VHSIC chips in the early 80s would have won. Or the Silicon on Sapphire (SOS) and GaAs processor chips...very fast, but very low-yielding. I've written a couple of long posts on this, and won't here. Of course, if I am wrong, and Intel is behind the other chip or computer companies in this overall ability, there are some mightly good investment opportunities, either in selling Intel short or in buying the stock of AMD, Compaq, Sun, etc. We can each put our money where our mouth is. So far, I've done awfully well holding the Intel stock I acquired in the 1970s. "The past is no guarantee of future behavior," as the disclaimor goes, but I have seen no reason to sell the bulk of my holdings. --Tim May The Feds have shown their hand: they want a ban on domestic cryptography ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^2,976,221 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd)
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Forwarded message: > Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 14:51:45 -0800 > From: Tim May <tcmay(a)got.net> > Subject: Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd) > This is simply untrue, that DEC historically has been way ahead of Intel. I'm not going to get in a pissing contest with Tim, since he obviously has some connection to Intel... > The Alpha is a different type of chip. Anyone who has analyzed the past few > years, the past decade, and the past couple of decades would have a hard > time making the case that DEC has been ahead of Intel in the overall > combination of design and manufacturing. The bottem line is they are both Von Neumann architectures and can be reduced to a single bit Turing machine. As a result they *most* certainly can be compaired. I have owned Intel and DEC machines since the late 70's. I started out on a DEC PDP 8e in 1976 a friend game me when I was in high school and bought a S-100 Intel 8080 machine about a year later. Since that time I have owned 80186, 80286, 80836, 80486, and Pentium machines as well as PDP 11/03, PDP 11/23, PDP 11/34, & MicroVax II. Given a comparison by date the DEC machines have had a higher clock frequency and generaly been a generation or so ahead of Intel in the capabilities of the hardware. Further, the operating system architectures available on the hardware, until the last 6-8 years anyway, also went to DEC when it came to scalability and usability. The fact that NT was available on both the Intel and Alpha architectures pretty much at the same time makes any further comparison moot except for market share (which I alluded to the main forces in an earlier post). Unix was available on the DEC architectures LONG (what, 20 years?) before it every even thought about being put on a Intel cpu. > As you should know, Intel will be making the Alpha chip, as its > manufacturing capabilities are _overall_ in advance of DEC's. (Beware of Then why isn't the Intel cranking at 500MHz now like the Alpha? Why is every market comparison for the chips shows the DEC staying ahead of the Intel in base clock frequency (I won't even get into architecture efficiencies) for the next 5-8 years? > capabilities...Intel has its own R&D fabs, currently developing 0.13 micron > capabilities...DEC will not be participating in this move to sub-0.20 > micron areas.) I bet now that Compaq has given them the sorts of resources they had to go head to head with IBM from the late 60's to the early 80's that could change pretty quickly, even considering the multi-billion dollar start-up costs of modern fabs. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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feedME account
by members＠feedme.org 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

----------------------------------------------------------- feedME - the world's easiest newsreader http://www.feedME.org ----------------------------------------------------------- Your Username is: cypherpunks Your Password is: kimkdqof If you have any problems, queries or suggestions please email: admin(a)feedme.org You should change your password as soon as possible (if you haven't already done so), the address for changing it is: http://www.feedme.org/changepass.html Remember that we don't allow anyone to SPAM through feedME, nor do we let people post any form of commerical or web-site advertisements - if you are unclear always mail admin. Regards, Michael Bennett Creator of feedME

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"Privacy on the Line"
by Eric Blossom 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I'm about half way through Diffie and Landau's new book, Privacy on the Line: The Politics of Wiretapping and Encryption and have found it quite interesting and entertaining. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Cryptography 3. Cryptography and Public Policy 4. National Security 5. Law Enforcement 6. Privacy: Protections and Threats 7. Wiretapping 8. Communications: The Current Scene 9: Cryptography: The Current Scene 10: Conclusion It's 342 pages including a great section of notes. Computer Literacy has it for $22.50. ISBN 0-262-04167-7 mail order: 408-435-0744 ObWoMD: "8. (p. 82) Distinguishing nuclear explosions from other events, such as large lightning bolts or explosions of meteors in the atmosphere, is not easy. The satellite reacts less to the total energy of the blast than to the form of the flash. Nuclear explosions have a characteristic two-humped flash caused by gamma ray induced formation of nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5). The time between humps is called the "bhang metre" and is characteristic of the type of weapon." Eric

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Processor Architecture Analysis - Reference
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Hi, If you're interested in the basic technology used in many of the current and proposed processor architectures I strongly recommend the following: Advanced Computer Architectures: A design space approach S. Sima, T. Fountain, P. Kacsuk ISBN 0-201-42291-3 ~$50.00 It was published in 1997 and covers various analysis of many of todays CPU's (unfortunately it doesn't do the Alpha) and discusses means to get realistic comparisons between them. It also covers some of the white paper architectures that have come out in the last 3-4 years on proposed architecture upgrades and alternatives. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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Signing video...
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Hi, I was exchangin idea with a couple of members off-list and an idea came to me about how to time stamp the frames. It would require a minor modification to the WWV transmission but it wouldn't be much. Have the WWV transmitters sign each 'tick' of the clock and have a WWV receiver in the vcr. This would allow time stamping the frame with a signed reference that could be checked. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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RE: Update on New Zealand crypto policy
by Brian B. Riley 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- On 1/26/98 3:30 PM, Ernest Hua (Hua(a)teralogic-inc.com) passed this wisdom: >Need help: Can anyone get to this URL? > >Ern > [snip] > > http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/policy/ > I got to it with no problems on first try from East Coast USA. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP for Personal Privacy 5.0 Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBNM0glz7r4fUXwraZAQFRGQf9F4R1EhPLwsSP84l5QcKk6KMhU341ox36 PincU6VSpYR8bq7CMSMh7G5f/H+3MkXNpnStGGI2H/jr/ggj+VeFtAZE/8WG5Mvw RbzbHxXKxq5one7kNc8qWMtWyd5vh6T+WUcyotUdvVBM5LAwP6sgv60vRsslbAYq 8jx4CMcWi8AM49vZknWAVQ+0QKWXthD5ltMFyLK8racRmIccFCsn//hDY0m7P+4I fbA3uKY5ESnJA5dUMCdree9tqB55R8iW/BdSKodemiO56FdClVOBdynVBFrchmGr zauO82EwceXiG3m2R44Zd7XPp0OfupzkB5+qZgWTeUR87SCnlzvrhw== =eeTo -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Brian B. Riley --> http://members.macconnect.com/~brianbr For PGP Keys <mailto:brianbr@together.net?subject=Get%20PGP%20Key> "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." -- Alvin Toffler

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