Crypto instructions = Bomb-making instructions

[Ray Dillinger]

On Tue, 31 Jul 2001, Tim May wrote:


>The critical point is that Congress is now in the business of 
>criminalizing mere speech. mere research. Whether one quibbles about 
>whether hackers "understand" the instructions on how to bypass crypto 
>protections, or whether bombz d00dz "understand" the chemistry and 
>physics of their bombs, the new outlawing of crypto instructions and 
>bomb-making instructions is the issue.

You are absolutely correct.  From a human-rights point of view, 
that is exactly the problem.  There are now thought-crimes.  

However, just because the law happens to be wrong, does not mean 
that specious crap can prevent a conviction on it in court.  It says 
that "circumvention devices" are illegal, and the opinion of the 
court is that code -- source *or* executable -- is a "device".  
At the same time, it says that other information, which promotes 
*understanding*, but which is not a "device", is legal. At least 
for now.

You can argue about gray areas and fine points all you want in 
this forum, but if your butt lands in court it will be dismissed 
as specious crap.

				Bear