Re: lynx-dev SSL Support for Lynx 2.8.2

[Philip Webb]

990515 Mark Mentovai wrote to everyone interested in SSL for Lynx:
> In anticipation of the upcoming release of 2.8.2,
> I've updated my "semi-official" SSL patch to support Lynx 2.8.2pre3.
> Those of you interested in testing it out may obtain it as always
> from  http://www.moxienet.com/lynx/ .

i don't use SSL, but lynx-dev gets regular inquiries from users:
what you have been doing is valuable to a lot of people.

> There has been some discussion recently
> whether or not the recent attack on cryptographic export restrictions
> by the U.S. Court of Appeals will impact the ability to distribute Lynx
> with the SSL patch already implemented.  At this point,
> I believe it's too soon to tell, as the decision is being appealed
> and to err on the safe side,
> the SSL hooks should remain out of the 2.8.2 distribution.

that seems a sensible account of the present situation.

> It's always been my opinion
> that the patch contains nothing that would violate any export laws
> (it doesn't have crypto code, it links with SSLeay)
> but to satisfy those that disagreed,
> it was always maintained as a separate project.

no sane person wants to fall foul of the US criminal-justice system (smile).

> Hopefully, the recent court decision will be upheld
> and we can put this entire mess behind us.
> We shouldn't forget that, as always, there are patent issues
> to be aware of with the libraries used by this patch for now.

the RSA patent runs out soon, doesn't it?

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