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the first question to ask would be whether they're in touch with LPF at all.

the next question would be whether lpf is willing to work with them. rms has never been known to put progress ahead of politics.

First, rms isn't the LPF. He's practically the FSF, and supports the LPF, but the two organizations aren't synonymous. Second, I believe the LPF has made an official statement that they will _not_ work with SPI. SPI is primarily funded by large holders of software patents, and LPF believes that this database will give patent holders an advantage in defending their patents in court (i.e. against suits by LPF to invalidate the patents). I'm not even a member of the LPF; you should write to them for their actual arguments. Third, I'm not sure this is appropriate to the list, unless someone expects to find "folklore" about public key cryptography that predates RSA, etc. Joe