Re: Netscape announces position against GAK

>From: tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)
>Subject: Re: Netscape announces position against GAK
>
>Credit where credit is due.
>
>I for one am satisfied--and even pleased--with the Netscape position on GAK.
>
>It remains to be seen how steadfast Netscape, as the major player in the
>Web browser business, remains in the face of (likely) pressure from the
>government.
>
>It seems to me that we have have been quick to criticize Netscape--which is
>good, the quickness part--and thus we should be equally quick to praise
>them. To be sure, various of us might've written the Netscape position
>statement slightly differently, but this does not change the basic point:
>that Netscape has come out against the Administration's position on GAK.
>
>For this they deserve our praise.

I agree with all of Tim's sentiments (well, in this message, anyway :>).  I'd
especially like to thank Jeff Weinstein for his hard work keeping both us
and Netscape management informed.  I think he's done us both a great service.

To avoid just saying "me too", I'll throw out another idea on making the U.S.
version of Netscape available to U.S. users over the Internet.  How about a
phone number to call to get an access id of some sort that can be used to
FTP the software.  When you call the number, you can use caller-id to verify
that the person is calling from within the U.S.  You could set up a BBS-type
system to do this automatically, or make the phone number a 900 number and
charge a few dollars to cover your costs.  You could also set up the access
id so that it can only be used once.


                          | (Douglas) Hofstadter's Law:
Frank Stuart              | It always takes longer than you expect, even 
fstuart@vetmed.auburn.edu | when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

On Sat, 9 Dec 1995 16:59:13 -0600 (CST), Frank Stuart
<fstuart@vetmed.auburn.edu> wrote:



>To avoid just saying "me too", I'll throw out another idea on making the U.S.
>version of Netscape available to U.S. users over the Internet.  How about a
>phone number to call to get an access id of some sort that can be used to
>FTP the software.  When you call the number, you can use caller-id to verify
>that the person is calling from within the U.S.  You could set up a BBS-type
>system to do this automatically, or make the phone number a 900 number and
>charge a few dollars to cover your costs.  You could also set up the access
>id so that it can only be used once.

Couldn't caller ID be fooled by call forwarding?  I am anything but an
expert on caller ID, but this seems like a possible loop hole.  This
would cause the same kind of problem that is holding up placing the
U.S. version on the Web.  


Dan Weinstein
djw@pdcorp.com
http://www.earthlink.net/~danjw
PGP public key is available from my Home Page.
All opinions expressed above are mine.

"I understand by 'freedom of Spirit' something quite definite -
the unconditional will to say No, where it is dangerous to say
No.        
           Friedrich Nietzsche