Re: US crypto laws and NetBSD

[W.Scheffbuch%ieee.org@localhost]

On Mon, 14 Feb 2000, David Brownlee wrote:

> On Mon, 14 Feb 2000, Wolfgang Scheffbuch wrote:
> 
> > > > Still, IIRC, the Wassenaar Agreement didn't include free software
> > > > for some odd reason. (please correct me if I'm wrong)
> > > 
> > I'm not aware of any revision. But what I know is the same that the
> > definition was not precise enough to conclude the exclusion of Open
> > Source software. So unless this changed, governments may be free
> > to interpret the crypto-part of software as a weapon.
> 
>       So if NetBSD places its repository in any country which is a
>       signatory to the Wassenaar Agreement, at some point that country
>       could impose export restrictions on NetBSD?
> 
>       As long as the respository is mirrored there is nothing to stop
>       NetBSD moving the repository at the point restrictions are
>       imposed?

This is subject to interpretation. To be on the safe side, the
master repository should be outside of any signatory state. The
risks for mirror sites in signatory states should then be smaller.
I still have no idea about the legal status of a mirror in France.

MfG,
Wolfgang Scheffbuch
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Wolfgang Scheffbuch
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Germany/RFA

Email: W.Scheffbuch%computer.org@localhost
Email: W.Scheffbuch%ieee.org@localhost