[4164] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: PGP compromised on Windows 9x?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael Motyka)
Mon Feb 8 16:01:27 1999
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 10:45:36 -0800
From: Michael Motyka <mmotyka@lsil.com>
Reply-To: mmotyka@lsil.com
Followup-To: Cryptography,List,<cryptography@c2.net>
To: "Jay D. Dyson" <jdyson@techreports.jpl.nasa.gov>
Cc: Cryptography List <cryptography@c2.net>
> Cryptography can be rendered easy to use (a'la NAI's iteration of
> PGP which functions as several things, not the least of which is a plug-in
> for the Eudora mailer). The only problem is this: when you make something
> idiot-proof, idiots will use it. And when idiots use something, idiotic
> things happen. That's a simple fact of life.
>
I don't know who said it first but t's an *old* sentiment:
"Just when you think you've made something idiot-proof, someone,
somewhere, will invent a better idiot."
Sort of a consumer products cold war.
I've always tried to design user features that make the "idiot-proof"
stuff the first you see but make raw features available if you go
looking for them. Sell to anyone and everyone.
Mike
