Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open source

[Owen Lewis]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Gladman" <brg@gladman.plus.com>
To: "UK Crypto Posting" <stevee+brg@slimy.greenend.org.uk>
Sent: 05 February 2001 12:04
Subject: Re: Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open source


> In particular I do not accept any absolute duty to respect laws. I
> consciously break several regularly and I observe that I am far from alone
> in this behaviour [1]

Nevertheless, I credit you with a position, which I share,  that lawfulness
as a general state in society is to be preferred to lawlessness. However, my
character, training and sundry expertise are such than my chances of
prospering in conditions of general lawlessness are, shall we say, rather
higher than the
average :-) My concern in this matter, therefore, is rather more on behalf
of others than it is for myself.

> [1] Interestingly, and bringing this thread back 'on topic', I was
involved
> a few years ago in a survey of the extent to which organisations based in
> the UK obeyed the encryption export laws.  We found that a very large
> proportion of companies who were approached were happy to illegally export
> cryptographic products.

Most people are prepared to smuggle 'duty-free'. That does not make it a
sensible thing to do for many, as the effects of any prosecution far
outweigh any possible benefit from such petty smuggling. In regard to your
example, it is not good risk management for a business to break the export
regulations. The penalties can be most severe and the powers under the law
of C&E make the police look like the Boy's Brigade.

Does not compute. Better by far to examine the rules carefully and then to
act according to what is written there. To the letter.

Owen