PGP Comments and Questions.

[trollins@debbie.telos.com (Tom Rollins)]

Hey, Got some comments about the future of PGP.

I would like to compair PGP with DOS. It has gotten a large
following and that is good. It has it's limitations and that
is bad.
Like DOS, expanding it's functions seems to be trouble. Trouble
from the tech side and from government.
I believe that we should lay a framework so that people around
the world can modify and enhance various parts of PGP and not
get in each others way. After all, how much can 1 or 2 or 3 or
4 people do vs thousands on the net.
Also if the code is modular, people in the US can work on
sections that do not contain the crypto engines.
Bulk crypto engines could be replaced and not get in the way of
the Public key stuff.

So, now for some questions....

As I understand the Gnu CopyLeft. People can make changes and
pass them on with the source code and NOT step on anyone's
toes. Why then should there be an official release by a small
group of people that still have bugs in the code after N years.
An official framework which will allow for expansion and change
is in order.

Is Mathew in the UK a named remailer for Phil Z? (just kidding)

How fine do you have to divide the crypto code before it is not
considered crypto code anylonger. (for US ITAR regs)

How do the French get around the anti crypto laws? I want to know
before those laws get enacted here in the US.