Regarding key registration proposals. Tim's critiques shed a most interesting light on this problem. They also point to parallels with voter registration: It has been well-known for some time that requiring people to register some time in advance of an election, causes a decline in participation. This decline is most evident among the disadvantaged sector of the population, for various reasons including inability to take time off from work. Were the disadvantaged to vote en masse, they would most likely weigh in on the side of substantial change, particularly change which would shift the balance of power in a more socially equitable direction. As the powers-that-be prefer to maintain the status quo, they are quite satisfied with the fact that the disadvantaged aren't voting in larger numbers. Hence Republican administrations have (in recent history) blocked efforts to simplify and ease voter registration, as for instance the "motor voter bill" which would automatically create a voter registration when someone gets a driver's licence or car registration. The United States is the world's only remaining Western democracy which requires advance voter registration. This practice had its roots in attempts to prevent newly naturalised US citizens from voting, again, the result of prejudice and desire to maintain the status quo. Now that the Dems are in power, we might consider tying the crypto key issue to the elimination of voter registration, on the basis that both voting and digital communication are forms of speech which should not be subjected to a chilling effect. Rapid promulgation of decent user-friendly PKSs looks pretty essential at this point. I'm thinking, how about approaching Apple to see if they'll include a PKS along with their Macs, as bundled software, sort of like Hypercard. Even if the PKS which is used, has some problem with is, as for instance the old trapdoor-knapsack system, **anything** is preferable to nothing at all when it comes to getting the public educated. Does anyone here know any of the main people at Apple...? What do you think they'd have to say about bundling privacy software along with Macs? -gg