Maybe it's not too late. But if this group is ever to resume its role as an exciting place where the future of computing is visible, it must refocus its efforts. Cypherpunks should think positively, look past current troubles, and start talking again about crypto technology and how it can change the world. That would be a conversation worth having.
The basic problem with cpunks is misunderstanding of the ground rules. Most cpunks are/were cube slaves, albeit with decent salaries, and some have cashed out (you know who you are.) As well-paid hired hands they tend to forget who masters are and how masters function. Trying to shove the privacy down the throat of unsuspecting citizenry is an exercise in futility. Not unlike organising the church of atheists. "Ordinary" people will do what they are fed with. Cypherpunks have no means of conquering even 0.001% of the input bandwidth of "ordinary people". There is no money and no means for that. So, what is left ? - Sell out and help various "rights" groups that do good (as defined by USG - always groups outside US and sympathetic to US) use crypto. - Sell out and do commercial crypto which will never have any impact on individual's privacy. - Sell out and radiate negative vibes and pipe dreams about killing. The point is, we have not found a killer app that: a) can be sustained by a small group of disorganised individuals b) has huge appeal to "ordinary" people. Remailers satisfy a) but not b), for example. What looks most promising at the time being are P2P apps that need protection from snooping. Let's make trading .mp3s a crime with capital punishment. ===== end (of original message) Y-a*h*o-o (yes, they scan for this) spam follows: Find the one for you at Yahoo! Personals http://personals.yahoo.com