From: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de (Vesselin Bontchev)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt,alt.security.pgp
Subject: Re: PGP as a World Standard
Date: 22 Dec 92 14:30:41 GMT
Reply-To: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de
Organization: Virus Test Center, University of Hamburg

strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:

> Vesselin Bontchev asks why I don't revoke my key. The reason is because
> now that I understand the legal position I won't use PGP. To revoke
> my key en clair would be insecure and many have argued about the
> dangers of spoofing.

1) You've made enough noise on the net, so the probability of spoofing
is relatively low... (just kidding)

2) If you have indeed commited a crime when using PGP (which I
sincerely doubt), then the fact that you were not aware of the law
does not make you innocent.

3) I am suggesting you a way to correct your "crime". If you refuse to
do it, it's your problem.

> Besides, the key does no harm out there. Those who wish to delete it

It's OK, it was just a suggestion. But I will not delete it from any
public keyrings, until I get a revokation certificate for it.

> I can't help feeling that Vesselin isn't really serious in his request,
> but has his tongue in his cheek. If he IS serious, then he's attempting
> to induce me to use PGP illegally, and I won't.

I was perfectly serious and was just suggesting you a way to repair an
action that you seem to think has been legally or ethically wrong (I
already lost track of what exactly are your oppinions). If you refuse
to use that oportunity, it's fine with me; it's your problem, not
mine.

> By the way, in a previous message, Vesselin argues that he comes from
> a country (Bulgaria) without patent (or was it copyright) protections,
> as if that is an argument that should carry weight.

No copyright protections and only on computer software (i.e., we have
it for books, records, movies, etc.). Our patent system is also a
mess, but that's a completely different story. I used this argument
when you began to talk about the ethics of usage of something that is
ptented elsewhere. My point was that I am used to a completely
different ethical system (not "right" or "wrong", not "better" or
"worse" - just different) and feel no obligation to agree with your
ethical system. And I somewho feel that you will certainly not worry
about using a device that might be patented on Mars... :-)

> Hardly. In the former Soviet Union many crimes were committed which
> were not illegal, as, I warrant, in Bulgaria.

If it is not illegal, it is not a crime, sorry. You are contradicting
yourself. You probably mean that some of the acts committed there
might be considered as crimes by the laws of your country. This is
just the well-known attitude of some (hopefully - few) people in the
USA, who seem to think that their laws apply to the whole universe.
Welcome to the reality - I don't give a dime about your laws, unless I
move to the USA, in which case I'll respect your laws and won't give a
dime about the laws of the other countries.

> That doesn't make them right.

It makes them not illegal, i.e. - not crimes. There is no such thing
as universal "right" or "wrong", although there are some values that
apply for the most part of the humanity.

> I suggest that if present-day Bulgaria wishes to gain the benefits
> of membership in the international economic community, or the EEC, it
> will have to bring its intellectual property laws in line, and until
> then, many of its actions constitute stealing according to international
> norms, even if not under the laws of Bulgaria.

That's a good suggestion and the people there are working on the
subject.

Regards,
Vesselin
-- 
Vesselin Vladimirov Bontchev          Virus Test Center, University of Hamburg
Tel.:+49-40-54715-224, Fax: +49-40-54715-226      Fachbereich Informatik - AGN
< PGP 2.1 public key available on request. > Vogt-Koelln-Strasse 30, rm. 107 C
e-mail: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de    D-2000 Hamburg 54, Germany
Newsgroups: sci.crypt