Yes, this is so. The problem however is not just that PGP is difficult. The entire UseNet/Internet experience is too difficult for the average person, who probably doesn't even know which end of a diskette to insert first. The media conglomerates will bring a filtered and [surprise!] TV-like version of the net to households and offices, that will be simple and easy, point and shoot. Useless, censored, commercialized to the point of saturation. I don't see any room for privacy in a network like that. *That's* what we're up against.
The candy-like "family oriented" overcommercialized network is already here, known as Prodigy. Those guys will bounce your email if you say "I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale" (implying gullibility) for posting commercially. My subscription to those losers didn't last two months. Last that I heard, Prodigy was losing money, hope they go broke.
Sure, no one can afford to write cypherpunks code full time, but what can be done should be done, and hopefully people will collaborate more. Every tool that makes it easier to integrate is a step in the right direction. The various scripts and utils that people have come up with for PGP use on "the" net, GenMSG for Fido mail, the menu/shell programs, it's all a step in the right direction.
Agreed. So far as I know, there are a few commercial services that don't censor their customers and aren't afraid to let them have full access to the Internet, such as the WELL and Colorado Supernet. Doug | Doug Holland | Proud member of: | holland@beethoven.cs.colostate.edu | Mathematicians Against Drunk Deriving | Finger for PGP 2.2 key |