Encryption Discrimination from Sun

I was just browsing through the rules for the million dollar
contest just announced by Sun Microsystems to encourage the
writing of killer applets in Java, Sun's new architecture-
independent program format. 

The URL is http://javacontest.sun.com/rules/index.html in case
anyone is interested.

While reading the contest rules, I found the following one
particularly interesting...

   "No entries may include encryption as a feature
    or part of an applet."

This was made even more curious by the later revelation that
one of the criteria for judging entries was...

   "The applet should be able to transfer information from 
    one point to another, with no possibility of interception 
    or other interference during the process."

Doubtless the reason Sun nixed encryption is because this is an
international contest, and they did not want to deal with legal
hassles involving international borders and different laws in 
every country.    

Nonetheless, they seem to have missed an excellent opportunity
to encourage the migration of privacy software into the new 
realm they are creating. 

--
     Mike Duvos         $    PGP 2.6 Public Key available     $
     mpd@netcom.com     $    via Finger.                      $

Mike Duvos writes (re: The Java Cup)
> While reading the contest rules, I found the following one
> particularly interesting...
> 
>    "No entries may include encryption as a feature
>     or part of an applet."
[...]
> Doubtless the reason Sun nixed encryption is because this is an
> international contest, and they did not want to deal with legal
> hassles involving international borders and different laws in 
> every country.    

OTOH, they don't have any ITAR-like rules about not installing crypto hooks.

(It's pretty amusing that residents of Romania are eligible to enter, but
not residents of Vermont. At least to me, since I don't live in Vermont. ;) 

> Nonetheless, they seem to have missed an excellent opportunity
> to encourage the migration of privacy software into the new 
> realm they are creating. 

I'm not convinced that such a contest is capable of that anyway. As in most
such contests, entries basically become the property of the sponsor. In this
case, "By participating in the Contest, Contestant waives all claim to 
intellectual property rights in the entry, including patent rights and 
copyright, and waives all moral rights, except where prohibited."  (Wow !
I didn't know I could waive my moral rights !)

I'm not inclined to hand the Java privacy software on which I'm working over
to Sun, even though I like Sun. If I were just working on a Tetris applet or
something, I wouldn't mind....

-Futplex <futplex@pseudonym.com>		Cowboys 37, Cardinals 13; 
			Merry Christmas, 49ers: We'll see you in Dallas !