🚀 go-pugleaf

At the risk of getting myself into deep **** (choose the word of your
choice), I must say, that I see the import and installation of PGP on my
machines and my usage of it as a form of protest.

By privately maintaining floppies with source code as well as installing
PGP on my machine, I am guaranteeing my ability to securely use my
computer without pryihng eyes reading my files.  Also, I am protesting
the idea that software/algorithms are patentable.  Modern Computer
technology is changing way too rapidly for a 17 year lock on a market.
For example, I am given to understand that IBM has some sort of patent
on the blinking cursor in PC BIOSes (I am not certain of this and
reserve the right to be wrong.)  clearly, this is an utterly rediculous
patent, yet manufacturers of other computers must pay IBM patent
royalties.  OR how about that Patented Hayes Modem escape sequence,
+++<pause>, there's a real zinger.

My point is that the Patenet system just isn't awarding
software/algorithm patents for the right reasons, and 17 years is way to
long.  The 17 year protection is fine in markets where even 17 years
later there will still be a market, NutraSweet, drugs,machinery, etc.
But, just 2 years from now, the computer industry will be so drastically
different from today, that grantin patent protection for 17 years is
questionable at best.

Lastly, I object to the idea that my freedom of speech ends when I try
to send my speech out of the country.  I feel that the munitions act is
overly broad and most likely unconcsitutional because of the limits it
tries to place on my free speech.

Well, with all that said, hope those of you who celebrate christmas are
having a good one.

-Erik
eoliver@ralph.cs.haverford.edu