Re: Future FreeS/WAN users?

["J. Lasser" <jon@umbc.edu>]

In the wise words of Ray Shaw:

> I'm also very unclear as to exactly what is meant by
> "security-enhanced Linux".  If they mean to include crypto, then they
> can't feasibly distribute it anyway...I don't think that NSA qualifies
> to use RSAREF2, so they'd have to get a license from RSA, but nobody
> else (inside the US) would be allowed to use it.  Unless, however,
> they worked out something where they could sell this product, like
> RedHat selling their "Deluxe" package with SSL-Apache, and have a
> licensing agreement.  It would be cool if someone would sell a Linux
> distro w/ licensed SSL (stunnel, mod_ssl, etc.); companies would
> really go for that.

Well, actually, the article I saw said something on capabilities
enhancement. This probably means posix-style rather than 'real'
capabilities, but who knows?

As far as crypto goes, this won't be a problem for long. First, of
course, are the new export regulations, which while not perfect sure
look better. Second, and to answer the issues above, the RSA patent
expires this year, in either September or October, after which the
patent and licensing issues are a moot point.

-- 
Fear leads to anger.            Jon Lasser   http://www.tux.org/~lasser/
Anger leads to hate.                 Work:  jon@umbc.edu    410-455-3708
Hate leads to suffering.             Home:  jon@lasser.org  410-383-7962
Suffering leads to book deals. -- Yoda, I think
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