On Wed, 1 Aug 2001, Sandy Sandfort wrote:
As a probable member of Tim's "Gang of Five" I am on the cusp between two equally true facts about Cypherpunk "ideology" and the law.
1) "Cypherpunks write code." This metaphorical admonition tells us to make the laws irrelevant by outrunning them with technology. I couldn't agree more. I don't see much benefit in asking the nice lawmakers to do fuck us so badly, please. Better to take steps that put us outside of their reach.
Code is 'law', just a different kind.
2) "Don't commit the crime if you can't do the time." You have to know what the law is likely to do so that you can "write code" in a manner that is likely to be the most effective from a technological AND legal view. Otherwise, you cannot do any sort of meaningful risk/benefit analysis.
Know your enemies mind is one of Tszu's first admonitions.
My point is that there is a middle ground between Unicorn and Tim's positions. Do the Cypherpunk thing, but be cognizant of the relevant laws. Remember, lawyers are hackers too, just in a different arena.
Wanna be hackers considering the quality of their work. -- ____________________________________________________________________ Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, "Let Tesla be", and all was light. B.A. Behrend The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------