Unless recent US law changes have affected this, it is illegal to
export software which could easily have strong crypto plugged into
it. Notice that when you download strong cypto Netscape, you don't
just download 'crypto.dll' or whatever. You download the whole product.

Obviously, this restriction is very poorly defined. For example,
you could argue that any program that allows general purpose
modules or plugins (Photoshop, Apache, the linux kernel etc.)
violates this law. However, the NSA and FBI have only take exception
to this when the API was specifically to allow the use of strong
crypto. More evidence of their incompetence.

However, if a source patch is developed and distributed
outside the US, by persons unaffiliated with InterBase software Corp,
there is nothing the developers of IB can do about it, so it seems to
be within the law.

Here's an example of how it affected the apache group:
ftp://ftp.apache.org/docs/misc/nopgp.html

I know. It's moronic, and totally ineffective (except for benefits
it's had for overseas crypto developers.)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.

PS: If you'd like to become an international arms dealer,
without leaving the comfort of your computer chair, just go to:
http://online.offshore.com.ai/arms-trafficker/

--
Reed Mideke
rfm(at)collectivecomputing.com