-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Tim May concluded, after an insightful essay,
Is it hopeless? For public relations, probably yes. Fortunately, the power of strong crypto lies in its use. The leverage effect.
As Phil Karn put it: "Don't get mad, get even. Write code."
The crypto code exists, for whatever you may wish to do (at least if it isn't real-time voice, but that's also being written). What is now needed has nothing to do with crypto. It has to do with art, not science, not mathematics. Interface design and interface creation, for PGP. It means Mac and Windows. That's a 100+ million user base. That's why we started the Mac Crypto Interface Project, and why similar is needed for Windows. We already have a simple Apple Script interface almost done (by Pete Hinely) which will allow MacPGP2.6 to be used by millions, not just a few fanatics. "g(x) = O(f(x))" doesn't matter now, no more than E = hv mattered for getting microwave ovens in every household. Nice GUI matters now. The product exists but it needs packaging and marketing. I'd like to see a shift in focus here, brought on not by my nagging, but by realizing how radical a thing it would be, were a five-minute learning curve, "No Questions Asked" PGP interface available for the Mac and Windows. And in this effort, newbies are the experts, and the leaders, for it is they we must serve. It comes down to, do you want strong crypto tools just for your group of a few hundred, or do you want to change the world? -=Xenon=- P.S. ftp to ftp.netcom.com in /pub/mcip to get MCIP.Design.Spec.cpt.hqx to see pictures of future MacPGP. There's will also soon be a simple-Simon interim interface (already almost done) which will use MacPGP2.6/2.6ui as a dummy crypto engine. No more 14 buttons and four text areas every time you want to encrypt the Clipboard. Also, it looks like AOL and Compuserve etc. will finally start carrying PGP. That's a mainstream market. PGP2.6 is a radical thing, thus. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.3a iQCVAgUBLgMjewSzG6zrQn1RAQHriwP9EHp1N392+kOSezzjxce/TgcDFokilrGL wks/v9Cyi/MlxGIG1pyZU1U1kM/VM8VrrAuAI1f5/3KevfpeJLuBdoO04wH1TDcb EkBBjjOw5WgNUhF7QVJc52WSroQB/8Mle95H1bLlEKeYL1eVP0l6bDDGQK6T2+KZ Rzl+zkaXhJY= =hRbR -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----