I think the only real good outcome would be that the verdict is overturned because of some technicality, preventing the case from becoming some kind of landmark. However, this would only delay things until the next case.
Jim_Miller@suite.com
I was talking last Saturday to Keith Henson, at the Extropians/Cypherpunks/PenSFA party at Eric Messick's geodesic dome in the Santa Cruz Mountains (I wanted to give you folks the "ambience"), and Keith had just flown back from Memphis, where he had been assisting the defense on computer and ECPA matters (Electronic Communications Privacy Act). Keith has been on our list, has attended several meetings, and is well-known to many of us. Anyway, Keith confirmed that *several more* cases are pending, and I joked (gallows humor) that the Mormons would get them next. A few days later, charges were filed in Salt Lake City. Grim times in cyberspace. Perhaps folks who are more willing to "compromise" with the law enforcement types can see why I'm so opposed to helping them hang us. I'm in the "Rejectionist Front"--no escrow, no limits on key lengths, no fealty to outmoded laws. Too many Cypherpunks are trying to arrange "reasonable compromises," I fear. Perhaps I should form a splinter group, the PFLC, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Crypto. The PFLC would axiomatically reject the crappy compromises with Al Gore on the NII, the upcoming "deal" on Digital Telephony (a deal is being cut even now), and the deal on escrowed key systems we've been talking about lately. The solution to the AA BBS sorts of things will not come anytime soon, and probably not through the courts. Full-blown remailers, moving AA-type boards out of the Beknighted States, etc. Feeling paranoid, --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."