old doc cohen

[an116512 at anon.penet.fi]

<<this post was written by me and two other people who have been watching
cohen's career for the last few years. i'n sorry for the spelling mistakes
and typos.>>

dr frederick b. cohen's frequent rants in which he expresses nothing
but contempt for everyone else in the security and crypt business
have to be understood in their context:

	he's trying to sell something.

what's he selling? who's he trying to sell it to? there are several answers.
all are partly true and taken together explain his posts pretty well.

	directly, he's trying to get us to buy his products, services,
	and books, or at least recommend them to others. it is obvious
	how setting himself up as the only one who recognizes these
	serious flaws would enhance his consulting business. he doesn't
	care about netscape or pgp. he cares about his wallet.

	indirectly, he's testing out halfbaked ideas here to better
	learn how to refute those who see through their weaknesses so that
	he'll be better prepared when he spews in more "serious" forums.
	this is a low risk place, as far as he's concerned, to make
	a fool of himself.

	socially, he's selling the idea of his own academic
	respectability. notice how he reminds us he's "dr." (look at me!
	i have a doctorate!!!) cohen. the truth is he never managed to
	get the respect of the mainstream academic and research worlds.
	he's been reduced to playing the role of victim-soothsayer. we'll all
	regret not listening to him back when we had the chance, one of these
	days. look at the reaction to his "seminal work" on viruses for
	a great example of how the real research world yawns at him to
	understand why this is so important to him. he feels cheated out
	of the respect he deserves. (he's willing not to care about his
	wallet to the extent that he gets this)

	psychologically, he's selling the idea that he's respectable to
	himself. ultimately it doesn't matter that most of us see right
	through him as long as he gets enough people listening to him to
	feed his very delicate ego. he needs us (someone, anyone,
	even us cypherpunks if that's what it takes) to love him and
	take him seriously.  it's very sad.

let's just ignore him. he'll find somewhere else to play (he always does).
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