Re: [dvd-discuss]Joe Sixpack on Encryption-My neighbor's comments on it

[Charles Ballowe <hangman(at)steelballs.org>]

Interesting view -- I've actually seen quite different reactions from
the general public. I think many people know what encryption is. There
was alot said about things like encryption and steganograpy in national
media in the weeks post-9/11, unfortunatly most of it wasn't good, but
people know the general concept of hiding data whether they know how it 
actually works. Most of the DRM debate is lost on them. They really just
want to push a button and have the things they want to happen happen.
The bulk of them will go to the electronics store, ask the salesman what
they need to get the functionality that they want, and buy whatever is
recommended.

It's strange to try and think this way when you're a person who views 
electronics, particularly computers, as devices to be pushed to the limits.
Those of us who know what a computer is capable of don't bother thinking
"computer == something I can use to write papers and read e-mail," but 
this is what most people see them as. Instead, we see a general purpose
calculator that will do what we ask it to. And, of course, we're always
looking for new calculations for them to run.

Another interesting observation is that I get more questions/comments from
random strangers when I'm wearing my anti dvdcca or my qrpff shirts.
Everybody sees the DVD with a / through it and wants to know what I have 
against DVDs and also what CCA is. One day I was wearing the qrpff shirt
to the hardware store to get some keys copied and a guy in the checkout
line asked about it -- I explained that it decrypts DVDs and he responded
something like "So, you're a hacker or something".. he didn't seem to view
it as a bad thing.

-Charlie

On Tue, Mar 19, 2002 at 06:46:15PM -0800, microlenz@earthlink.net wrote:
> Joe Sixpack says:
> Duh...  what's an Encryption?  is that like somethin in egypt?  And why
> are tombstone engravers (Cryptoadgraphers) writing on crypts anyhow
> nowadays? and who can play a tune on a 40 key bit except someone real good
> on a piano which a girl told me once had 87 keys?  i dunno y anybody wood
> want 2 hid there stuff unles it had a bunch of speling heirs anyhow.  wel
> got 2 sig off now, hav 2 go2 a hi livil management meting 2 establish
> budgits or somthin. i fergit what. my friend gav me a bunch of boxes wit
> buuks in it al abot lienext but al the new lienext wants 63 meg of video
> to run xsomethin. so i cin't use it on my neu 488 confusers. 
> imsuregladimin madagment insted of having 2 wirk 4 a livin.