[14530] in Cypherpunks
Re: Clipper in patent trouble?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bill Sommerfeld)
Wed Jun 1 12:35:13 1994
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 1994 12:10:44 -0400
From: sommerfeld@localhost.medford.ma.us (Bill Sommerfeld)
To: smb@research.att.com
Cc: MIKEINGLE@delphi.com, cypherpunks@toad.com, schneier@chinet.com
In-Reply-To: <9406011454.AA27332@toad.com> (smb@research.att.com)
... Micali's major stuff, the ``fair'' public-key based systems.
Just to throw another sound bite in the pot:
Why would anyone in their right mind use a cryptosystem that's only "fair"
when they have their choice of so many "good" and "excellent" ones like
IDEA and RSA as well? :-) :-)
disclaimer: I haven't read Micali's papers in detail, but I understand that
the "fair' cryptosystem is effectively "key escrow in software". Actually,
I haven't seen his protocols discussed in any level of detail on this list.
An overview might help improve the S/N ratio here..
build 'em first, patent 'em, and *don't* license them to the government...
Alternatively, hold out for 10% of the capital cost of the *entire*
communications system and put the money to good use if they're stupid
enough to pay.
- Bill
