HELP! Some nut is threatening to sue!
Due to my posts to sci.crypt and elsewhere that I was distributing PGP, I recieved the following, and after that a very biased textfile on the dangers of having PGP and how terrible it is. Can anyone verify that this is a real threat? Last I heard PGP *MIGHT* violate a patent, but that this had not been decided yet. Please reply soon, and by direct email. If it is the Real Shit, I don't think they are going to give me long to ditch PGP... :( Begin forwarded msg -----------------------------------------------------
From: Stanton McCandlish <anton@hydra.unm.edu> Date: Wed, 28 Apr 93 21:31:10 MDT this is a real threat? Last I heard PGP *MIGHT* violate a patent, but PGP does violate patents. Several people, particularly in the cypherpunks community, are trying to alleviate the RSA vs. PGP problem. The controversy is counterproductive (and all sides seem to be mostly good guys), so let's not stir the pot further. Two of the solutions are 1) PGP could be reimplemented to use RSAREF, and 2) RSAREF (or something like it) could be extended to include all the functionality of PGP, but without the patent problems. (RSAREF is a copyleft implementation of RSA stuff). From: jim@RSA.COM (Jim Bidzos) I don't think you're aware of our position on pgp. Unfortunately, you may leave us no choice but to take legal action, which we will unless you cease promotion adn distribution of pgp. The next message will state our position. I encourage you to cease public promotion (because the RSA claim is legit), and send a message to Jim asking him what you can do to encourage a freely (and easily) useable and legal general encryption tool. dean
I don't think you're aware of our position on pgp. Unfortunately, you may leave us no choice but to take legal action, which we will unless you cease promotion adn distribution of pgp. The next message will state our position.
well... jim bidzos is not SOME nut and this isnt a threat.. justa warning the only problem i see with writing an apology note would be if he didnt send you a letter in the first place in my youth or if i were basically bored i would have sent a letter looking like taht from that account i would assume its real cuz if someone were to fake it they would act real mad adn say they are already suing but i think the fact that you dont know if he really sent you the letter (well i dont know if he really sent you the letter) is proof of why we need pgp out in public because that way we could verify who it was
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