Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!cornell!vax8530!tt3x From: tt3x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: PKZIP version 1.10 and data encryption Message-ID: <3726.261001b4@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> Date: 28 Mar 90 04:13:39 GMT References: Distribution: comp Lines: 32 In article , w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (Keith Petersen) writes: > Well folks, we have a new development - it seems the latest PKWare > ZIP/UNZIP version 1.10 cannot be distributed on the international > networks (Internet, Usenet, BITNET, EARN, etc), because it contains > data encryption technology. Federal law prohibits the export of such > technology from the USA and Canada. > > PKWare does have an export version without the data encryption but > that disables one of the features that we badly need in software > distribution - data file validation. See the docs in PKZ110.EXE for > details. You'll have to get the file from your favorite BBS. > > By the way, you might tell your BBS Sysop that he or she may be in > trouble if the BBS has callers from countries other than the USA and > Canada and they download PKZ110.EXE. The same goes for CompuServe and > GEnie. > > It's interesting to note that if the Japanese add DES encrytion to > their LHarc program we could IMPORT it from Japan but we could not > EXPORT it from the USA or Canada. > > --Keith I think it is just plain stupid that there is even a law prohibiting products with data encryption algorithms to be exported out of the US. Imagine the effectiveness of such a law in the real world? By god, I bet that the people who we are trying to supposedly keep the software out of could get it in a snap. I mean, they could call practically anyonone in the US (even underground bulletin boards) and get say a copy of PC Tools or whatever the new version of PKZIP is. Bobby Li