Re: [Eben Moglen <moglen@columbia.edu>] Re: US crypto export restrictionsand GNU (fwd)

Rasmus Lerdorf wrote: > > Looks like we have the green flag for crypto hooks finally... A concern that has been expressed to me several times is that the new regs are infectious, i.e. code that incorporates US exported patches becomes US export controlled, and hence may be affected by future regulatory changes. This is a concern for existing crypto code in the free world. Can anyone comment? Cheers, Ben. > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: 08 Mar 2000 14:09:43 +0100 > From: Hrvoje Niksic <hniksic@iskon.hr> > To: wget@sunsite.auc.dk > Subject: [Eben Moglen <moglen@columbia.edu>] Re: US crypto export > restrictions and GNU > > Eben responds. This allows me to feel optimistic. We still need to > wait for the final Stallman's word. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: Re: US crypto export restrictions and GNU > Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 08:00:02 -0500 > From: Eben Moglen <moglen@columbia.edu> > To: rms@gnu.org > CC: hniksic@iskon.hr > References: <9t9aekcut40.fsf@mraz.iskon.hr> > <200003081106.EAA21218@aztec.santafe.edu> > > On Wed, 8 March 2000, Richard Stallman wrote: > > I understand that the US crypto export restrictions have been somewhat > relaxed. Does that mean that it is now safe to include crypto code in > GNU software? > > No, I don't think so. Our lawyer said that the new regulations are > complex and that it would take time to figure out their implications > for free software developers. He said we should keep on going in the > same way as before, for the mean time. > > Eben, how is progress studying the new export regulations? > > It is now safe to include crypto code in GNU software. It will > eventually be necessary to determine how US authors will meet the > regulations' requirement that a URL be transmitted to NSA specifying > the location of the source code being exported. FSF may wish to > provide that service for those authors who assign copyrights to FSF, > those using SourceForge or other such development platforms may > use that as the reference set for this purpose. In general, however, > the problem is minor for us, because source code for our products is > ubiquitous; the question for NSA is not how to get it, but only where > to choose to take it from. > > These are administrative concerns only. Design and implementation may > now occur entirely without regard to the export control environment, > and only at the distribution stage will we face a few minor > questions. > > -- > Eben Moglen voice: 212-854-8382 > Professor of Law & Legal History fax: 212-854-7946 moglen@ > Columbia Law School, 435 West 116th Street, NYC 10027 columbia.edu > General Counsel, Free Software Foundation > http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu -- SECURE HOSTING AT THE BUNKER: http://www.thebunker.net/hosting.htm http://www.apache-ssl.org/ben.html Coming to ApacheCon Europe? http://ApacheCon.Com/