On Thu, 18 Mar 2010, Mosh wrote:

> On Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 7:22 AM, Ben Fritz <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Is this going to introduce any export law worries if included?
> 
> Where required, enable this line of code with a compile time flag
> 
> +    // Blowfish takes a variable-length key, from 32 bits to 448 bits.
> +    // If larger than 64 bits keys are not allowed, truncate it.
> +    // keylen = min(8, keylen);
> 
> and warn the user of the weakened key.
> 

Actually, the strength of the key has been a non-issue since the laws 
were relaxed back in 2000.


Back to the original question from Ben F:
> > Is this going to introduce any export law worries if included?

The usual IANAL applies, etc etc.

For some reading, if anyone's inclined:

Good overview: http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Cryptography_controversy

FWIW, the Apache project complies with US law, being hosted in the US.  
(So, too, w/ Vim being hosted mostly on SF, correct?)
Apache's export page: http://www.apache.org/licenses/exports/
Their 'internal' guide: http://www.apache.org/dev/crypto.html
(has some useful general advice, and links to the 'TSU exception')
Full text: (section 740.13): http://www.access.gpo.gov/bis/ear/txt/740.txt

Wikipedia: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Export_of_cryptography_in_the_United_States

One of the citations, in reference to open source:
http://www.bis.doc.gov/encryption/pubavailencsourcecodenofify.html

An amusing snippet from that page:
"""
If your encryption source code is too large to serve as an email 
attachment, you may print a copy of your email as a cover sheet and fax 
the additional documents to BIS at (202) 219-9179 or -9182.
"""

My general thought would be that it would be much easier to include the 
patch if it could be reworked to use some commonly-available, external 
crypto library (thus Vim doesn't contain crypto software, so isn't 
exporting crypto).  (e.g. use OpenSSL or ...well, OpenSSL.)

-- 
Best,
Ben H

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