Re: your mail Re: on anonymity, identity, reputation, and spoofing

[owen@autodesk.com (D. Owen Rowley)]

 > D. Owen Rowley () writes:
 > > I want privacy too, and I want as much free-wheeling as possible in the
 > > matrix. Personally I think that accountability is going to be required
 > > as the price for reasonably secure encryption, reasonably open access,
 > > and reasonably secure privacy of data. 
 
 >    Why should it be? Reasonably secure encryption, reasonably
 > open access, and reasonably secure privacy of data can all be
 > implemented without accountability.

Yes, of course they can be implemented.  

 > (I refer you to Public Key
 > cryptography, DC/Mix nets, and secret sharing) Perhaps in practice,
 > the majority of people will refuse to participate in such a network but
 > that does not stop crackers/pirates from using one. Crackers routinely
 > dick each other over because of lack of accountability, but the trade off
 > (getting free software/phone access) is better than (getting busted)

Fine, spend your time in a network of this character.
But I'm trying to inject some real world values into this issue.
Heres a clue, when your just playing games, this scenario is fine, when its
bigtime finance, industrial secrets and intellectual property with high
value, and the process of managing these things, you will find that 
reliabile security will be the number one requirement. In my opinion, 
Accountability will win over anonymity if it comes down to a choice.

 >    Do you think I am accountable? If I didn't put my real name in my
 > sig you'd never be able figure out who I really am. Not even gnu, who
 > graciously allows me use of their machines, has my real address or phone.
 > The annex port that I log in on is set up incorectly allowing me to 
 > telnet anywhere without needing to use my student account (and thus not
 > linking rjc@ to my college where my really private info resides)


I'm sure you are quite clever, there are lots of clever people around.

 >    rjc@ is simply my pseudonym. I could be Bill Clinton and you
 > wouldn't know, so why worry about it? What keeps me in line in the
 > reputation linked to rjc@ which I have spent a long time building up.
 > Acting like an asshole and choosing a new account name would waste a lot
 > energy that I put into posting these years.

This is all fine and good in regard to the narrow focus you take on where
this technology is going, and what business needs from it.

 > > IMNSHO, it is unreasonable to expect an anarcho-libertarian outcome to
 > > these issues. If you can prove me wrong I will be thrilled.

 >   You made the assertion, the proof is up to you.

Sigh..
IMNSHO is an acronym for *In my NOT so humble opinion*.

LUX ./. owen