Re: Things we should be working on...

[iang@cs.berkeley.edu (Ian Goldberg)]

In article <v0310280cb031dea9cd30@[207.167.93.63]>,
Tim May  <tcmay@got.net> wrote:
>All credit to Goldberg and all, but hardly accomplishing  very interesting
>goals (helps Ian get a good job, that's certainly true). Maybe it'll
>cause slightly stronger crypto to be allowed for export...I don't really
>care too much about that.
>
>In fact, the whole focus on _exports_ and doing things to make exports
>easier is a _detour_, even a _derailment_. As I've said, I'll start
>worrying about Netscape getting a license when they start paying me.
>Until then, foreigners should just bypass what Netscape provides and
>use drop-ins.

I have to disagree here.  The export issue is very important to me.
For me, crypto export isn't about Netscape getting their 128-bit crypto
overseas; it's about me being allowed to publish my research on the net,
or give "technical assistance" to foreigners.  As long as the current
export regs are in place, my ability to publish, collaborate in, and
by extension, perform, research in pure or applied cryptography is
severely hampered.

The effect the crypto regs have on me is that any time I want to actually
_implement_ something and publish it, I have to wait for school breaks,
go home (to Canada), do all of the work there, and publish it from there
before I return to Berkeley.  This obviously cuts down on the rate at which
I can get things done.  Americans don't even have this option. If not
for problems like this, S/WAN would certainly be further along than it is
now.

   - Ian