From: gardner@convex.com (Steve Gardner)
Subject: Re: Zimmermann's responses to Sidelnikov's PGP critique
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 00:06:43 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In article <1993Jan8.193153.4336@netcom.com> strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
>My purpose in posting this is not to enter into the dispute between
>Zimmermann and Sidelnikov, but to comment on some interesting questions that
>the Sidelnikov post may raise. Some preface may be in order:
	I have another interesting if somewhat paranoid question:
		How do we know that Mr. Sidelnikov is who he says
		he is?  How do we know that we are not the victims
		of a spoof?  It is quite possible to make net postings
		look like they came from anywhere.  Does anyone have
		any more light to shed on this?


>In my many individual visits to the Soviet Union at the personal
>invitation of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, and in my discussions
>with Soviet scientific leaders, it became clear to me that in the
>Soviet structure, the academic and Academy scientific structure was
>intimately bound up with the military and intelligence structure.
>Through the mechanism of the State Committee on Science and Technology
>the Soviets ran their Nuclear, Missile, and many other programs.
>Leaders in the State Committee were also leaders in the Soviet Academy
>of Sciences and in the academic community.
	You could have saved yourself (or the taxpayers ;-)) some
	money getting this info.  You could have asked almost anyone
	who had been a journalist there or had taken any Soviet 
	Studies courses.  I thought this was rather widely known
	in the west.


>This raises the question of whether Sidelnikov had some senior role,
>directly or indirectly, in the Soviet's equivalent of the NSA.
	IF he is indeed who he APPEARS to be.

>Let me be perfectly clear here. Sidelnikov's standing in the
>cryptology field in the Soviet scientific community is of the most
>senior level, and that's not a statement about science politics.
	How do your REALLY know this?

>It's inappropriate to take his remarks as if they were those of some
>competitive programmer picking nits about PGP's program code.  It's
>especially inappropriate to take a confrontational attitude.
	Welcome to the internet Mr. Sidelnikov how do you like freedom?
	It can be rather painful huh? ;-)


>Finally, I'd suggest extreme politeness in responding to Sidelnikov,
>and no little respect. Think of him as the Russian equivalent of
>Einstein in his field if it will help. In Soviet Science, Academicians
>are analogous to "the immortals".
	Nobody is immortal Dave, not even you. ;-)  Look we got this
	nonsense before about Prof. Denning from Georgetown.  The nice 
	thing about the net is that it is NOT a respecter of persons.
	We are all equal here, unlike the non-cyber world.  Mr. Sidelnikov
	will have to adjust to the rigors of absolute freedom.  I'm
	sure he'll do quite nicely David without your "protection".

	I would like to take this opportunity to extend a friendly
	"howdy" to Mr. Sidelnikov (whoever he may be) and welcome
	him to the internet where even the "immortal" can be flamed.
	


						smg



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