Executing Encrypted Code

[Timothy C. May]

At 9:08 PM -0800 12/19/96, Peter Hendrickson wrote:
>At 8:31 PM 12/19/1996, Timothy C. May wrote:
>>At 7:34 PM -0800 12/19/96, Peter Hendrickson wrote:
>>> You could also timestamp the software so that it only runs for a given
>>> length of time.  This will encourage people to upgrade regularly.  ;-)
>
>> Or to reset their clocks. Which is what many of us do when software is
>> about to "expire."
>
>You are right that this only works in instances where the customer just
>needs a little prodding to get the upgrade and not in instances where
>the customer might put up with significant inconvenience to avoid it.
>
>However, why not use "beacons"?  The clock could have a built-in timer
>that needs to be reset once a month from an authenticated source.  This
>assumes the presence of net connectivity, but that's not a terrible
>assumption.

I mentioned "beacons" in the portion of my message you did not quote here.

As for why they are not being used, they don't exist.

--Tim May

Just say "No" to "Big Brother Inside"
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay at got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."