Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 13:37:42 -0400 (EDT) From: Aron Freed <s009amf@discover.wright.edu> And going the complete opposite direction (a full 180). If the public was able to obtain PGP as easily as we are and they would use it for everything, would that lead to the overthrowing of the government and therefore cause anarchy, due to the fact the governmnet would be helpless in knowing what everyone is doing contrary to the CIA, FBI, etc. being able to read everything we write and say through their current illegal wiretaps??? I'm just looking to get a complete picture. At this moment I would go with PGP, but I still see a lot of problems with being on either side. They seem so extreme... You've painted an extreme picture -- so of course it looks extreme. If the world swallows Clipper, it'll still be possible to keep secrets from the FBI....just harder. You're forgetting the danger from organized crime, however. A key database becomes an inviting target for org crime and I'd expect it to be compromised immediately. There's a special danger if even just the banks swallow Clipper/Capstone. Do you want your bank accounts protected by keys that organized crime can access? -------------------- If the world goes with PGP, the FBI can still get info the way it does today -- with informers. It's not a world of all bad guys with only the FBI a good guy. When I communicate with you, I don't know what you do with this message. Chances are you're a good guy (since almost everyone is) and if I'm suggesting something criminal, you're likely to send this message to your local police or FBI (assuming they haven't totally alienated you by trying to pry your crypto keys out of your cold dead fingers :-). - Carl