[107977] in Cypherpunks
Re: Australian Crypto? (Re: Export ban kills Nexus' WHO deal)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tim May)
Sat Jan 30 18:33:55 1999
In-Reply-To:
<Pine.BSF.3.96.990131000816.12959A-100000@pakastelohi.cypherpunks.to>
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 15:25:13 -0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Reply-To: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
At 3:18 PM -0800 1/30/99, Lucky Green wrote:
>On Sat, 30 Jan 1999, Tim May wrote:
>
>> OK, so assuming this story is true, JUST WHAT IS THE EXPORT POLICY OF
>> AUSTRALIA?
>>
>> And how does this square with the RSA Australia deal, whereby "Eric and
>> Tim" (the _other_ Eric and Tim, needless to say) will be free to export
>> stuff related to SSLeay from Australia?
>
>Australia, like many other countries cowing to the US, has no "official"
>export policy in the true sense. The absence of written guidelines allows
>for export permits being granted based on political considerations, such
>as levels of campain contributions, rather than technical properties of
>the software.
>
>The popularity of non-firm regulations has increased in many countries,
>due to the chilling effect it causes on industry. Be that FCC
>"suggestions" in the US or crypto "regulations" in Australia or New
>Zealand, the pattern remains the same.
It certainly doesn't sound like Australia will then be the source of
world-wide strong crypto incorporated into SSL, as some were envisioning
when the Australial RSA deal was announced.
I can't imagine the Australians letting out a product which pokes a stick
in the eye of their minders in Washington.
Adhocracies have many advantages for statists...it's why the U.S. is in
theory stronger for having a solid constitution. All the more sad that the
Consitution is no longer followed.
--Tim May
Y2K -- Where were you when the lights went out?
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES: 831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist | black markets, collapse of governments.
