[13747] in Cypherpunks
Re: pgp 2.6 stupidity
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Paul Ferguson)
Mon May 16 15:26:25 1994
From: paul@hawksbill.sprintmrn.com (Paul Ferguson)
To: perry@imsi.com
Date: Mon, 16 May 1994 15:23:44 -0500 (EST)
Cc: cypherpunks@toad.com
In-Reply-To: <9405161910.AA01195@bacon.imsi.com> from "Perry E. Metzger" at May 16, 94 03:10:23 pm
>
> Personally, I find the PGP 2.6 announcement to be based on an
> extremely flawed premise.
>
> PGP 2.3a and earlier were not American software -- they were written
> and produced overseas and were IMPORTED into the U.S.
>
> They infringe on no patents or copyrights when used overseas.
>
> Well, I have lots of correspondants overseas, using perfectly legal
> software. They cannot legally use PGP 2.6 -- it isn't exportable.
>
> Therefore, this idiocy will act to cut me off from my overseas
> correspondants. I will not be able to use the current version of PGP
> and still communicate with them. I will therefore be forced to use
> older versions -- probably repeatedly patched versions of 2.5.
>
Personally, I can't see any compelling reason, save legality, for
domestic or international users of PGP to upgrade beyond 2.3a.
This whole PGP 2.5/2.6 fiasco is ridiculous.
- paul
