HP supporting GAK, export controls

[Lucky Green <shamrock@netcom.com>]

[Sorry, the last one went out without a subject]

HP is in the process of ramroding a pro-GAK, pro-export control 
resolution through CommerceNet's public policy working group.

Here are the details.

HP is marketing several DES products that currently can not be sold 
abroad. In order to be allowed to sell these products, HP is willing to 
give the USG the following in return:


1.  Support by CommerceNet to have GAK built into the (inevitable) 
domestic PKI. [Their presentation included the word "voluntary". When I 
asked what was meant by that, I got the reply "There are many 
interpretations of the word "voluntary"." Suffice to say there are 
fundamental differences in what I mean by "voluntary" and what their 
proposal would require the definition of "voluntary" to be.]

2.  Support by CommerceNet for export restrictions on stronger forms of 
crypto than DES as well as restrictions on export of crypto for products 
not directly related (in HP's opinion) to ecommerce, such as email.

This ill conceived attempt to use CommerceNet's clout as industry 
organization to liberalize export rules on HP's products, and those of a 
few other companies supporting HP in this effort, at a heavy cost to 
everybody else, must be stopped. Please let HP know how you feel about 
their initiative and encourage CommerceNet to adopt an anti-GAK, 
anti-export control position.

--Lucky