RE: Questions about Microsoft and Software Key Escrow

[Jacob.Levy@Eng.Sun.COM (Jacob Levy)]

Blanc

I respect your feelings on the matter and your ability to think clearly and
with great foresight also :-), but for this list it would probably be much
more useful if we got some _OFFICIAL_ answer from Microsoft instead of your
"I believe, I cannot think, can't see", etc. etc. You're obviously a
concerned individual but you equally obviously don't claim to speak for
Microsoft.

--JYL

Blanc Weber writes:
 > From: Timothy C. May
 > 
 > My forte here on the list, I like to think, has always been to have
 > "extremely long-range radar" that can pick up trends far in advance.
 > Black Unicorn once told he this was my main strength, and even
 > everybody's second-favorite nemesis, David Sternlight said much the
 > same thing in sci.crypt. Coming from Sternlight, high praise indeed.
 > <misc. elided>
 > By all means, give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt. But also
 > insist that they explain their work on SKE, and repudiate it.
 > .........................................................
 > 
 > I respect your ability to think clearly and with great foresight also, 
 > Tim, but I really cannot think that Microsoft would "sell out" on this 
 > issue.  There are too many in the company who would are for privacy for 
 > the individual, and remember they have their customers to think about.  
 > If SKE would constitute a problem for the individual end-user, then I 
 > can't see how the company could implement it and expect to remain a 
 > leader in the business, with all the negative publicity it would 
 > generate (conceivably most of it from cypherpunks!).   These are my 
 > thoughts based on what I know about attitudes around here that I am 
 > familiar with & certain of.
 > 
 > As I said in another post, Microsoft is an expert at arriving at a 
 > "win-win" situation, but I don't believe this includes sacrificing some 
 > of our most cherished values, like personal privacy, in exchange for a 
 > little security.  If I thought this was not true, *I* would not work here.
 > 
 > I may sound naive; hope time does not prove me wrong.
 > 
 > Blanc