What minimal requirements would be needed to support encrypted packets/files that a holder could only decrypt after a certain date/time? (Time Escrow?) Or a server that releases keys if a 'heartbeat' isn't or a trigger is received? (Escrow in the banking/legal sense.) (Video/sound recordings for security, opened at court's request., Ecash Escrow, missing persons) The obvious is a server that releases keys periodically (and serves old keys at will). Is there any way to make this trustable? Multiple servers with shared (xor split, etc.) keys of some kind? Design ideas? Applications: Gov. docs with expiration dates for privacy/secrecy. Source code for projects (if a company folds, copyright expires, etc.). Contract release to companies, public, etc. (15 minute stock data, agreements for commercial use initially, public/fair use later) sdw -- Stephen D. Williams 25Feb1965 VW,OH (FBI ID) sdw@lig.net http://www.lig.net/sdw Consultant, Vienna,VA Mar95- 703-918-1491W 43392 Wayside Cir.,Ashburn, VA 22011 OO/Unix/Comm/NN ICBM/GPS: 39 02 37N, 77 29 16W home, 38 54 04N, 77 15 56W Pres.: Concinnous Consulting,Inc.;SDW Systems;Local Internet Gateway Co.;28May95