Paul Robichaux writes:
No doubt. But what does the OS provider gain from including encryption in the OS? At present, customers aren't demanding it. Why add SKE at all when no one's asking for it?
Ah, the exact question for us to be asking! "Why add SKE at all when no one's asking for it?" Indeed. Why the upcoming conference on key escrow? Why the representatives from Germany, Netherlands, France, etc.? Where is the public debate about these things? (I'm not claiming, by the way, that corporations have to debate with the public before developing features--I'm a free market sort. But it's clear that more than just isolated product developments are involved. The extent of collusion between vendors and goverments is unclear, but signs point to such collusion.)
FWIW I agree with Tim: it's time to start asking the OS vendors some hard questions. I'll volunteer to talk to Apple. Tim & Blanc Weber seem to have good wires into Microsoft.
We may be able to rally enough opposition this time around to make work on SKE an "unsocial" thing to do (Recall our strategy of making Clipper vendors corporate outcasts, with our "Big Brother Inside" approach?).
Finally, never forget the power of "divide & conquer"; if MS does something unpalatable, that gives Novell, Apple, et al a reason _not_ to do that same thing.
"Just say 'No" to key escrow." --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."