FC: Response to article on Zero Knowledge, marketing, and promises

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

*********
A response to:
http://www.politechbot.com/p-01464.html
*********

Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2000 18:49:32 -0800
From: Lucky Green <shamrock () cypherpunks to>
Subject: RE: Zero Knowledge, after poor software sales, tries new gambit
To: declan () well com

Declan,
I don't believe the conclusion that Internet users are unwilling to pay for
enhanced privacy is warranted given the information currently available. If
anything, ZKS' poor sales show that Internet users are unwilling to pay for
software that claims to protect the user's privacy but doesn't. This is a
very important distinction to make. Freedom (TM) as shipping does not
adequately protect the users' privacy. ZKS' marketing machine and early
promises notwithstanding, in the end the market was not fooled into buying
product that doesn't deliver.

I think it is unfortunate that ZKS' failure to deliver on their promises
will now be taken as an indication that there is no market for a product
that ZKS never built.

The risk that the such a, in my view erroneous, conclusion would be drawn
was of course the big risk to Internet privacy worldwide that followed from
ZKS' foolish gamble to ship a product that didn't meet market demand. A risk
that I on more than one occasion impressed upon the principals was to great
to take.

--Lucky Green <shamrock () cypherpunks to>

  "Anytime you decrypt... its against the law".
   Jack Valenti, President, Motion Picture Association of America in
   a sworn deposition, 2000-06-06




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