Re: `careerpunks'

Adam Back wrote:
> Seems to me many of the `cypherpunks' have become `careerpunks' and
> are now more interested in trading crypto tips, trade gossip, than in
> cypherpunks projects.
> 
> They went through the phase of buying kewl domain names (take a look
> down the subscriber lists), tinkering with remailers, and have now
> graduated to making money from crypto consulting, and lost interest in
> the issues where they don't add to the bottom line.

	I disagree with your analysis.  I'm working for a number of
large companies as a consultant.  At each of them, I think I've done
things that substantially imrpove customer privacy.  At one, I may
have sold them on role certificates "This certifies that the bearer
can access account 345567734545435."  As opposed to "This is John
Smith."  I think thats a huge win for privacy advocates, and hey, it
saves them work and money to do it this way.  I could not have
convinced these people by posting to cypherpunks.

	Selling your services does not involve selling out.

Adam

-- 
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once."
					               -Hume

Adam Shostack writes:
> 
> 
> 
> Adam Back wrote:
> > Seems to me many of the `cypherpunks' have become `careerpunks' and
> > are now more interested in trading crypto tips, trade gossip, than in
> > cypherpunks projects.
> > 
> > They went through the phase of buying kewl domain names (take a look
> > down the subscriber lists), tinkering with remailers, and have now
> > graduated to making money from crypto consulting, and lost interest in
> > the issues where they don't add to the bottom line.
> 
> 	I disagree with your analysis.  I'm working for a number of
> large companies as a consultant.  At each of them, I think I've done
> things that substantially imrpove customer privacy.

Same here.  I've been looking out for privacy problems in the systems
that I help my clients design.  Whenever I find one I have been able to
convince the client to redesign their product to fix it.
I'd never have this much influence as a mere cypherpunk.  But when I
can tell the client what the damage will likely be if their systems
are not sufficiently private, they become very interested in making them so.

Also, working in the field doesn't preclude doing free stuff that
you find an interest in.


> 	Selling your services does not involve selling out.

Yes.  I will not work for a client on a project that I consider
to be 'bad' (i.e. GAK).   I do wonder sometimes what I will do if/when
all crypto systems are GAKware.



-- 
   Eric Murray  ericm@lne.com         Privacy through technology!
  Network security and encryption consulting.    PGP keyid:E03F65E5