Re: Info on Netscape's key escrow position

[Jeff Weinstein <jsw@netscape.com>]

E. ALLEN SMITH wrote:
>         I believe that the central question at hand is whether Netscape will
> incorporate mandatory GAK into any of its products if you have an economic
> (governmental purchase) rather than physical (governmental threat of violence)
> reason to do so. I would hope that the upcoming statement will clarify this
> position, and in the proper direction.
>         -Allen

  If the government wants to purchase software for its own use that implements
key escrow, why it that bad?  The whole point of our anti-GAK position is that
government mandated key escrow is bad.  If individuals, companies, or government
agencies want to escrow their own keys, with the escrow agents of their own
choosing, I have not problem.  Its only when the government make the escrow
and the agent mandatory that I've got a problem.

  I don't believe that Netscape will ship a product that mandates GAK
unless it was required by law to do so.  As long as it is legal to sell
non-escrowed crypto products in this country or elsewhere, I think we
will keep doing it, because that is what our customers want.

	--Jeff

-- 
Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist
Netscape Communication Corporation
jsw@netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw
Any opinions expressed above are mine.