LAMG for May, 1997
| This issue's Topics: Shooting Oneself... Subscription Racket Hard Drive Concerns Nomai Denies Warranty Web Rip Off Books: * Web Psychos * Javascript Cookbook * Web Design Guide |
Shooting Oneself In The Foot The US Government prohibits the export of 128-bit encryption, which is currently almost impossible to crack. The highest level encryption the Department of Commerce allows American companies to sell abroad, or use in copy protection on products that are exported, is 40-bit, which can be read by US Government agencies. __ Sun is going to circumvent the prohibition by selling its 128-bit encryption systems through a Russian company called Elvis+ __ With Russia in severe economic straits and many Russians selling technology, anywhere they can, do we really want the Russians as partners in our 128-bit encryption technology? As an indications of their attitude, the Russians are currently bragging about their penetration of the secret areas of Microsoft's IP layer. __ I have always thought it ridiculous when software says "Not for Export" on the box because it contains encrypted copy protection. All that prohibition does is create problems for American software companies, because there is no way to stop people from taking the "Not for Export" discs and diskettes out of the US. [*] UPDATE: Trial Subscription Racket The Free Trial Subscription racket was discussed in a previous column, and it touched a nerve with a lot of readers. __ I promptly canceled the no risk trial subscription offered by Netguide. __ Netguide stopped sending the magazine, but continued sending demands for the full price of a year's subscription, even after I sent them photocopies of their offer and my cancellation. __ Netguide turned my account over to The North Shore "National Collection" Agency of Great Neck, New York, which demanded the full price of an entire year's subscription to avoid legal action. __ When I demanded to know the actual name and address of my "creditor", I was quickly sent a preprinted postcard from Palm Coast Data at a PO box address in Florida, saying that the letter from the collection agency had been sent in error due to a mistake Palm Coast made in processing their client's bills.[*] |
USER GROUP EDITORS: Articles posted in this area have been cleared for publication in your newsletters. We do encourage you to contact the author for additional details and/or updates. Please ALWAYS credit the original author!
Articles posted here by UGNetwork News staff, or the UGN News Service may be reproduced ONLY after your group has become a registered Network affiliate. Contact the UGNet-News for authorization and the UGNet News Affiliate publicity package. Thank you. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1997, The User Group Network, and on behalf of the respective authors.
All of this content, and the associated services are donated through the generous efforts of members from the User Group community. This content area is provided by The User Group Network News Service, and is sponsored by The Design & Publishing Center as a public service.