Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 01:22:53 -0500 (CDT) From: Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org> To: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: enlight me about US laws, please ! Message-ID: <14727.48701.947948.146198@guru.mired.org> In-Reply-To: <bulk.51934.20000801155503@hub.freebsd.org> References: <bulk.51934.20000801155503@hub.freebsd.org>
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> From: Ilia Chipitsine <ilia@cgu.chel.su>
> as far as I understand, not any cryptographic tool (software including)
> may be exported from USA.
Actually, the law requires you to get an export license for
cryptographic tools; the same one you need to export tanks, etc. The
laws are in flux as there are lots of people trying to change them (in
both directions).
> that's why FreeBSD has two different versions of crypto code, right ?!
This is no longer due to the crypto laws. Either the appropriate
license exists, or a change in the laws made it unnecessary.
However, there are still two versions of the RSA code. That's because
the patent laws are different in the US from everywhere else, so the
RSA algorithm is patented in the US but not elsewhere. So there is a
version of RSA that's legal everywhere but the US, and one that's
legal (for non-commercial uses) in the US.
> on the other hand Open{BSD,SSH,SSL} has only one version, no ?
They are in Canada, which means they don't have those problems.
> may crypto stuff be _imported_ to the USA ???
> if so, why to have TWO version, not ONE ?!
Because the crypto laws apply (applied?) even if the sources started
outside the US. It was crazy, but I couldn't ftp ssl sources from
outside the US, compile them on FreeBSD, and then export them :-(.
<mike
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