HP seems to have outlived their usefulness. sad, isn't it, when a really first class operation has to die. and to go out in such a ignoble way. the `ole boys' must not be resting well in their graves. -paul
From cypherpunks-errors@toad.com Wed Aug 21 18:31:33 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 14:11:34 -0700 (PDT) From: Lucky Green <shamrock@netcom.com> Subject: HP supporting GAK, export controls To: cypherpunks@toad.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type> : > TEXT/PLAIN> ; > charset=US-ASCII> Sender: owner-cypherpunks@toad.com Content-Length: 1394
[Sorry, the last one went out without a subject]
HP is in the process of ramroding a pro-GAK, pro-export control resolution through CommerceNet's public policy working group.
Here are the details.
HP is marketing several DES products that currently can not be sold abroad. In order to be allowed to sell these products, HP is willing to give the USG the following in return:
1. Support by CommerceNet to have GAK built into the (inevitable) domestic PKI. [Their presentation included the word "voluntary". When I asked what was meant by that, I got the reply "There are many interpretations of the word "voluntary"." Suffice to say there are fundamental differences in what I mean by "voluntary" and what their proposal would require the definition of "voluntary" to be.]
2. Support by CommerceNet for export restrictions on stronger forms of crypto than DES as well as restrictions on export of crypto for products not directly related (in HP's opinion) to ecommerce, such as email.
This ill conceived attempt to use CommerceNet's clout as industry organization to liberalize export rules on HP's products, and those of a few other companies supporting HP in this effort, at a heavy cost to everybody else, must be stopped. Please let HP know how you feel about their initiative and encourage CommerceNet to adopt an anti-GAK, anti-export control position.
--Lucky