Denver Westword, Vol. 17 Number 5, Sept. 29 1993 <sigh> I've been thwarted by anon.penet.fi and the two characters '--' at least FIVE times today. better than losing anonymity though! The complete version *should* appear in alt.security.pgp,talk.politics.crypto,sci.crypt,alt.politics.org.nsa, comp.org.eff.talk the initial cypherpunk and talk.politics.crypto versions are missing the following closing paragraphs. also the cypherpunk version did not credit author ERIC DEXHEIMER. === Despite the notoriety and acclaim Pretty Good Privacy has brought him, Zimmermann admits he is not entirely comfortable with some of the popular reaction to his software. "PGP tends to attract fringe elements- - radicals, conspiracy theorists and so on-- and I'm a little embarrassed by it," he says. For instance, Zimmermann says he recently received a packet of fan mail from a group of people whose obsession is cryogenics-- the notion that newly dead people ought to be frozen until the technology that can revive them is developed. While the group seemed enthusiastic about PGP, Zimmermann says their recognition did little for his ego. "I don't want to be admired by people who are loonies," he says. He also concedes that, despite what law enforcement officers say about him being irresponsible for publishing PGP he is trouble by people who use the software for unsavory purposes. The William Steen case, for instance, unnerved him. "This is not a black-and-white issue to me," Zimmermann says. "The thought of a child molester out there using PGP does keep me up at nights. I think the benefits will outweigh the cost to society, though." Despite his misgivings about it, after nearly two years Pretty Good Privacy may be paying off for Zimmermann. Not only is his software consulting business hopping ("If you're a consultant , you get more work as a famous consultant"), but four weeks ago he finalized the deal with ViaCrypt to sell a version of PGP. The Arizona company has purchased a license from RSA Data Security to use its algorithms. So in theory, anyway, Zimmermann should be out of reach of RSA's patent-infringement claims. In the meantime, Zimmermann says he simply is pleased to have gotten a rise out of the government. "In the nuclear freeze movement, it was like I was a flea on the back of a dinosaur," he says. "Now I feel like I'm a hamster on the back of a dinosaur. Or maybe a poodle." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about the anon service, send mail to help@anon.penet.fi. Due to the double-blind, any mail replies to this message will be anonymized, and an anonymous id will be allocated automatically. You have been warned. Please report any problems, inappropriate use etc. to admin@anon.penet.fi.