PKP licensing of RSA

Hi all,

Just what may be a stupid question concerning licensing of the RSA
algorithm from PKP.

I have friends who would like to use freeware PGP but are hesitant to do
so because of _possible_ patent infringement against PKP. On the other
hand, they aren't crazy about paying $100 for the ViaCrypt version. (And
that price will increase shortly, I believe. 

Does anyone know if PKP will directly license RSA for single-user use? (In
other words, get the freeware version of PGP and then get a license from
PKP to use it "legally"). I would imagine the license would cost less
than $100 if available (why do I doubt that ViaCrypt is in this for their
health?).

Yes, I realize that this would mean there would be a record of licensees.
And if the government chose to make "non-Clipper" encryption illegal in
the future, they would have a list of people to investigate. A LONG list.
Included on which would be all cypherpunks and everyone who bought a copy
of ViaCrypt PGP. So what are they going to do about it? I think it is well
out of their control. It would be politically unsound to investigate all
registered ViaCrypt users.

Obviously, this question is for the benefit of those who, for whatever
reason, must remain "strictly legal". But who don't care to pay $100 for
ViaCrypt's version. People who are willing to use the unlicensed freeware
version (not like _I_ ever would ;) ), could continue to do so.

Maybe I'm way off-base here. Don't flame me, just correct my thinking.
(Though I am wearing my Nomex suit!)

Thanks for any intelligent replies,

Bruce

On 4 May 1994, Bruce C. Dovala wrote:

> I have friends who would like to use freeware PGP but are hesitant to do
> so because of _possible_ patent infringement against PKP. On the other
> hand, they aren't crazy about paying $100 for the ViaCrypt version. (And
> that price will increase shortly, I believe. 

As long as the use is for experimental, research, or educational 
purposes, I don't think Jim Bidzos is going to care much - those are 
permitted uses, under US patent law.

> Does anyone know if PKP will directly license RSA for single-user use? (In
> other words, get the freeware version of PGP and then get a license from
> PKP to use it "legally"). I would imagine the license would cost less
> than $100 if available (why do I doubt that ViaCrypt is in this for their
> health?).

Why go to the trouble?  ftp to rsa.com - if you are a US citizen, get the
README from /rsaref.  It details, quite simply, how to get rsaref and
the ripem stuff, and the licensing docs are in there.

> Obviously, this question is for the benefit of those who, for whatever
> reason, must remain "strictly legal". But who don't care to pay $100 for
> ViaCrypt's version. People who are willing to use the unlicensed freeware
> version (not like _I_ ever would ;) ), could continue to do so.

Like I said, it's a non-issue, unless you plan on using it for commercial 
use.

Here's the text of the licensing stuff that I found in the latest version 
of ripem:

>Does anyone know if PKP will directly license RSA for single-user use? 

The cost to negotiate an individual license for a sum of less than
$100 is prohibitive for RSADSI.  Don't expect it.

Eric