IDEA

[Alon Bar-Lev]

On 1/29/08, Werner Koch <wk at gnupg.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:59, alon.barlev at gmail.com said:
>
> > Gentoo is providing this only if a user specify build from source and
> > ask idea explicitly.
> > Also Gentoo enforces dropping idea when binary redistribution is made.
>
> This has nothing to do with binary vs. source distribution. The GPL
> clearly states that you can't distribute it as part of it.  We all know
> that IDEA is patented because it was the main motivation to write gpg.

Gentoo does not distribute gnupg or IDEA.
Gentoo provides the instructions of how to build these components from source.
Gentoo is not distribution in the usual sense, but meta-distribution...
If one distribute a pre-built packages he set the bindist USE flag,
and IDEA is disabled.
As far as people checked (for this and other packages) this is valid
and confirms to GPL.

> I suggest to remove all that idea stuff.  If someone needs it for a
> crypto workbench, the modules feature of libgcrypt can be used for that.

There are people with IDEA keys, they would like to continue using these keys.
As long as they are leagalley entitled to, I don't see why this should
not be allowed.

> I also consider helping an idea patenter by linking to his web site a
> bad idea.  That company has several times tried to force me to advertise
> that the gnupg docs should mention that idea can be bought from them.

The information is correct. Whoever want to use IDEA should be exposed
to this information.
However... I cannot access this URL anymore.

Regards,
Alon Bar-Lev.