Re: The Remailer Crisis

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

Jeff's response is exactly what I was hoping for! The "Cypherpunks
distribution" version of Linux would be a great way to spread cheap
remailer technology on cheap Linux boxes. Hell, I might even augment
my Macs with one of these things!

Jeff Licquia wrote:

> The "Linux mavens" followed by the "black box" stuff sparked an idea...
> 
> First, before delving into dreamland: I'm sure Linux could be hung off just
> about any store-and-forward (a la UUCP) or TCP/IP-based network there is
> with a minimum of trouble.

This is what I'd expect....I just don't know the details.

> Now how 'bout this: Consider a new distribution of Linux, the "Cypherpunk"
> distribution (if ya don't like the name, make up yer own!).  This would be a
> bare minimum of a distribution, with nothing fancy: bash, misc. utils like
> ls, etc.  This can fit (tightly) in 20 MB.  The supplied kernel would have
> every networking option under the sun turned on, but would be otherwise bare
> of frills as well.  Now let's add minimal network utils (telnet and telnetd
> for connecting and sendmail for obvious reasons), perl, PGP, and a remailer
> package.  To make it as easy as possible, I'd use the UMSDOS filesystem, so
> that Linux could be installed on a DOS machine without any reformatting,
> repartitioning, or similar headaches.

A great idea. This could be the "remailer in a box" we've been talking
about for a long time. Could also include a package of security and
crypto utilities, etc. Sort of what the "Gnu" folks might do if they
were involved in crypto. (By "involved in crypto" I mean of course
Cypherpunks sorts of concerns, which Stallman seems to have not much
interest in, at least publically.)

> We could make this available via FTP or press some CD-ROMs if we were
> ambitious. Better yet, the cool Linux thing to do now is to install via NFS;
> this makes installing Linux as easy as sticking in a boot disk and pointing
> the install program at the NFS server (well, not quite, but pretty close).
> After adding in the cute little install program (like the Slackware
> distribution already has) and some boot options, you'd have an "instant
> remailer" software package, able to transform any 386SX/4MB RAM DOS machine
> or better into a Linux-based remailer site, complete with aliases, logging
> policies, etc. already configured for you. I bet even Tim May could install
> this if it were done right. :-)

Well, if I take the other side of the bet, that I *can't*, is that kosher?

> So, am I dreaming, or does this sound viable to y'all?

Sounds very good to me.

--Tim May


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