Unix software and USSR

[Doug Gwyn]

In article <662 at atcmpe.atcmp.nl> jc at atcmp.nl (Jan Christiaan van Winkel) writes:
>I wonder - how much paperwork is done in vain for this silly DES rule? 

It's not simply a "silly DES rule".  The situation is that a number of
classes of items require explicit license in order to be exported.  This
is known as "export controls".  Cryptographic systems are among those
specifically identified as requiring export licenses.  DES is considered
a cryptographic system.  Licensing therefore is required, and in fact
would normally be granted upon request.

I don't say that any of this is a good idea, but if you want to complain
about it you first need to understand the situation.