From:	Todd Montgomery <tmont@****.WVU.EDU>
Subject:	Program Legality
Date:	Fri, 30 Jul 1993 09:51:19 -0400

How y'all doing today?

I kind of think the legality of programs in SR is valid. My reasoning:
Partly Paranoia. Partly prevention. Partly congressional lobbying.
Most of the programs deckers use are aimed at crime (Attack, Sleaze,..).
The only ones I can see that don't directly involve illegal activity
are Browse, Compressor, Sift, Controller. I am sure I left at least one out.
I am sure that there are legal programs out there but I think that they
are only given to registered users. The same with Matrix equipment.
I can see computer crime being such a problem that it might be pushed by
corps and other entities to make congress (or some other ruling body)
pass some heavy control laws. Not all nations are as anal though. I think
it is Quebec or some NAN that has Matrix stuff semi-legal. But I can't
remember.

The languages and libraries are not illegal in themselves. But most deckers
write their own programs so.... stop the activity at the root. Put some
limitations on languages and etc. and the deckers have a harder time making
their home brewed destruction. Libraries are really hairy. They not only
involve help make programs but they also involve Copyrights/Creativity
and would be closely guarded. I am sure there are probably public
domain libraries (these would be like levels 1-4 or so). But the
really heavy stuff (levels 5-10) would be kind of dangerous to possess
if they came from Aztechnology. They could want them back in a big way.

Enough babble.

-- Quiktek
-- Todd Montgomery
tmont@****.wvu.edu
tmont@***.wvu.edu
un032507@*******.wvnet.edu