Apple Computer, for example, had to delay foreign sales of its G4 laptop in 1999 because the machine's operating power exceeded export limits. That cost the company an estimated 30,000 in unit sales overseas. And this good news for the computer industry could be very good for a broad spectrum of businesses that make dual-use items. The campaign for an overhaul is certainly off to a fast start. It's easy these days for a foreign buyer to purchase legally exportable computers and link them together to obtain computing power far exceeding the U.S. export ceilings.
Companies also can outsource their computing needs, using the Internet.
The Pentagon has reached a similar conclusion. What's more, a Defense Dept. study found that there was no good alternative approach to controlling hardware. The Pentagon looked at several possibilities, but all were found wanting. And unlike servers, militarily critical software is limited and easier to contain. The solution for computers sheds light on better standards for limiting exports of other dual-use items.