In message <4AEE3169443CDD4796CA8A00B02191CD02BC06AB@win-msg-01.wingroup.windep
loy.ntdev.microsoft.com>, "David Lawler Christiansen (NT)" writes:
>
>Speaking for myself, not for my employer, and as someone with NO
>background in law or law-enforcement, see below...

....
>
>Unless I'm completely misunderstanding what Wired said about the SSSCA
>(or Wired has it wrong, which is equally possible), this is not true.
>The SSSCA seems to deal with HARDWARE sales-- it might make it illegal
>to buy or sell hardware with *BSD/Linux preinstalled, but even that is
>debatable.  
>
>I admittedly have not read the SSSCA directly, but here's a snippet of
>what Wired says about it:
>
><snip>
>
>The SSSCA says that it is illegal to create, sell or distribute "any
>interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified
>security technologies" 
>
>Note the use of the word "device".  

Definitions in laws don't always match our intuitive understanding -- 
here's the actual text:

      (3) Interactive digital device -- The term "interactive digital
      device" means "any machine, device, product, software, or
      technology, whether or not included with or as part of some other
      machine, device, product, software, or technology, that is
      designed, marketed or used for the primary purpose of, and that is
      capable of, storing, retrieving, processing, performing,
      transmitting, receiving, or copying information in digital form."

As best I can tell, that includes all PCs.


		--Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb
				  http://www.wilyhacker.com