Newsgroups: sci.crypt
From: oml@eloka.demon.co.uk (Owen Lewis)
Path: cactus.org!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!eloka.demon.
+     co.uk!oml

Subject: Re: Ladder DES
References: <1994Feb22.083353.26012@cactus.org> 
Organization: Eloka Consultancy & Project Management
Reply-To: oml@eloka.demon.co.uk
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Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 10:51:09 +0000
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In article 
           dbarber@crash.cts.com "David C. Barber" writes:

>An interesting post, but begs a question on why don't we want to
>use IDEA to replace DES?

Not entirely jokingly, I propose the following reasons:
	1. The massive investment already made in DES technology and 
equipment makes people reluctant to change.
	2. For the US market, the NIH (Not Invented Here) syndrome.

My personal bet is that IDEA will beome a world market leader in the coming 
years but that it will not lead in the US market, with or without USG tilting 
the table. 

Without wishing to introduce matter extraneous to this forum, I do also 
believe that the development and spread of cryptologic technologies will be 
influenced by the clear intention of the USG to retain control over what 
algorithms may be used and by whom. This policy, currently spearheaded by the 
SKIPPER/CLIPPER/ESCROW initiative, is not going to go away - at least for a 
very long time. Other governments may, at present, be less vocal in their 
approach but that does not make their intentions any the less determined.

It remains to be seen to what extent the development and spread of cryptologic
 technology in other counties is dominated, if not by the USG directly then 
at least by other governments adopting independent policies that are fully 
consonant with that of the USG. The history of the last quarter century 
indicates that there will be a remarkable degree of consonance between the US
 and other first world nations - particularly among those that have strong 
treaty ties with the US. I do not simply refer to NATO here. 

Its going to be a great game and, at some level, all of us with sufficient 
interest to read this group have a part to play. Let's play well.

Though I do not read it (because of the noise level :-)), I think any 
follow-ups had better go to talk.politics.crypto. E-mail welcome though.  

-- 

                               -= Owen Lewis =-
                                      @
      Tele/fax  +44-(0)794-301731   ELOKA   Consultancy & Project Management
                            oml@eloka.demon.co.uk
                        pgp 2.x public key on request