I don't take it personally...

[tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)]

Just to let you folks know, I don't take some of the comments I've been
seeing here (and in e-mail) personally. That is, I fully understand that
emotions run high around these topics, especially about PGP, the Clipper
Chip, and patents on software.

This list is for discussion, even heated discussion. We're not here to just
complain about things we all despise, like the Clipper chip...for that you
can read sci.crypt. 

I've posted my thoughts and suggestions in this spirit. I'm not in a
policy-making position (how many of us are?), so some of the stronger
comments about how I'm reorienting the Cypherpunks list seem, well,
inappropriate.

That others have said much the same thing says this is a legitimate issue
to discuss on this list.

By the way, I responded at length to  Matthew J Miszewski's posting because
that's the one I saw first. The equally well-written critiques of my points
by Lance Dettweiler and Hal Finney did not arrive at my site until sometime
after 2 a.m. this morning, when I last checked...though they were written
and posted half a day earlier than Matt's posting. Odd delays we're having.

I won't answer their point-by-point critiques, as I think my follow-up to
Matt and the various other posts by Eric, Pat Farrell, Stanton M., and
others have gotten the issues aired.

Just to repeat, I'm not in the thrall of RSA or anyone else. I just think
the issues are much larger. I'm not saying we shouldn't use PGP, nor am I
suggesting Jim Bidzos should serve arrest warrants at our Cypherpunks
meetings (I got a kick out of that really "over the top" charge...I took no
offense1). 

I don't set policy for you folks. Nobody does. I'm just one more voice.
Discussion won't hurt this list--if it can, then we're really in trouble. 


-Tim May

--
Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
tcmay@netcom.com       | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
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Higher Power: 2^756839 | Public Key: in a state of flux!
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