Good news, for once

[Ross Anderson]

Yesterday we got a final result in the House of Lords on the UK Export
Bill. It means that I can continue to keep the source code for Serpent
- and the Soft Tempest fonts - on my web page.

Back in 1997, Al Gore persuaded His Tonyness to try to introduce
export controls on intangibles. Tony tried, but got rebuffed by the
T&I Select Committee in 1998. The DTI did an end run around Parliament 
by getting the EU to implement the `Dual Use regulation' in 2000, then
introduced the Export Bill to give the regulation effect in Britain
(`Look, our hands are tied, it's now our legal duty to introduce this 
law.')

After four years of struggle, and five months of particularly acute
lobbying, we got the government to agree yesterday to an amendment
that exempts scientific research, material being published, and
material already in the public domain, except under the most stringent
tests:

        http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/rja14/exportbill.html

It was the second last day of the Parliamentary session, and there 
was a lot of pressure on them to conclude their business. We also got
assurances on the record from the minister that the courts should
interpret the Act in the way we wanted.

Well done to everyone who contributed, and particular thanks to
Baroness Miller who fought like a lioness to get this past all the
obfuscation, deceit and other low tactics used by the civil servants.


Ross