Any ideas?

From Susan Sons <illecebra@yahoo.com>
Date Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:12:01 -0000


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     Hi all.  I'm a high school senior taking a course at the local 
community college (trying to get some of the basic garbage like 
English out of the way before I leave next fall).  Anyway, I'm doing 
my research paper on (this idea is in it's early stages, so I may 
narrow or broaden it depending on what I find) whether or not the 
general public has the right to decent cryptography/computer security 
in general.  
     Obviousely, I think we do, but I'm having trouble finding
sources that I can afford to use.  We're only allowed to cite two 
Web-based sources, and I already have those.  I found some stuff on 
privacy in general at the local library, but niether the public 
library nor the one at my high school has or will order anything on 
the subject of computer security. (Note that no one said they
couldn't get it, they just said I don't need to read that kind of 
thing.  They seem to think that my only possible motive for attaining 
such info would be to personally wreak havok on the unsuspecting 
masses, which is closed minded to begin with, and even more wrong 
because I'm not even asking for anything technical.  Schneier's _The 
Privacy Papers_, for instance, doesn't tell me how to take down other 
people's computers, it only gives an idea of what kind of changes have
happened in our govornment over time with regards to the availability 
of good encryption technology)
     Anyway, I'm 17, so naturally I'm broke and can't afford to buy 
all of the books I want to use.  I don't want to change topics unless 
I absolutely have to.  This is the first opportunity I've had to 
express that an interest in computer security does NOT make me a 
danger to society, and that society at large does have a right to
have some secrets, at least until and unless the cops or FBI or 
whoever manage to procure a warrant.  Please respond here or email me 
if you have any ideas, or just to agree with me (it would be nice to 
hear that I'm not asking anything horribly unreasonable)  

Thanks.  Susan



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