Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!decwrl!sgi!shinobu!odin!bolyard.wpd.sgi.com!nelson
From: nelson@bolyard.wpd.sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: What happened to "Pretty Good Privacy" ??
Message-ID: <1991Jun22.023415.12914@odin.corp.sgi.com>
Date: 22 Jun 91 02:34:15 GMT
Sender: news@odin.corp.sgi.com (Net News)
Distribution: na
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 25

A short while back, someone posted an article in a whole bunch of
newsgroups, announcing a new piece of software called "Pretty Good Privacy".
The announcement said that binaries for the IBM PC would appear in c.b.i.p.
I've been watching and waiting since then to see if they are going to
appear.

If the "Pretty Good Privacy" software actually does what it's announcement
claims, then it would seem that users of "Pretty Good Privacy" would be
(possibly unknowing) infringers on certain patents.  And, despite the
disclaimer in the announcement, it would seem that the person who originated
that software might be engaging in "contributory infringement".

My purpose in writing about this is *NOT* to start a big thread about
"software patents", and also it is certainly not to ask for a copy of the
"Pretty Good Privacy" program, but rather it is simply to ask, what
happened to it?  Was is all a hoax?  Did it ever get submitted to the
c.b.i.p moderator?  Is it scheduled to be posted?  Was the moderator asked
to supress it from c.b.i.p because of potential patent infringement
troubles?

Inquiring minds want to know!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nelson Bolyard      nelson@sgi.COM      {decwrl,sun}!sgi!whizzer!nelson
Disclaimer: Views expressed herein do not represent the views of my employer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------