Customer Reviews

The Limits of Trust:Cryptography, Governments, and Electronic Commerce

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1 star:		(4)

 

 

I saw this book at a local bookstore and picked it up, hoping to find an impartial look at cryptography in the new global marketplace. What I found instead was a somewhat Orwellian perspective on information control seasoned with a generous amount of hubris. Baker envisions a future where the plutocrats conduct their business in utmost security, where only those with worthy causes are allowed access to strong cryptography. The first question that comes to my mind is: who will determine which individuals and corporations have "worthy" causes? The government? Lawyers, perhaps? Baker seems much more concerned with the money such a system would put in his pocket than with personal privacy, and it shows.

Shame, shame on our Mr. Baker, trying to explain to us the reasons why limiting privacy to those who have "worthy" causes should be the only ones with the means to keep secrets secret. It looks like the bureaucratic "bull" can't keep up with the rest of us. People are fed the notion that "hackers" are individuals who like to promote choas. NOT SO, I SAY! We just like figuring things out. Anyone who reads this, please go and talk to that computer nerd next door, or the geek who works with you.... You'll see, we don't like people who break the law either. BUT THIS! Geeze.........

Baker succeeds in his attempt to ruin free commerce in America, and throughout the world. I'm sick of people like himself trying to screw the normal citizen out of more and more money as the corporations continue to issue unrealistic and unfair demands on the public. I definitely disapprove of this trash literature and hope others will be able to see through his lies as well.

While reading through other reviews of this book I noticed not only that they were negative as a whole but also that they were all written prior to the (WTC and Pentagon among suspected others) terrorist attacks in the US on 9/11/2001.

In light of the fact that we can see much more clearly now how "ultimate" privacy can be a "not so perfect" thing, and how complete privacy may actually hinder our own safety and security, I imagine this book and the ones to follow will get more balanced reviews.

I also imagine that this book and other works by this author or those with similar backgrounds and views might aid or even guide the many people and organizations that will have to now deal with the true issues of "privacy" in this electronic age.

I thought the author was in his element, though an under appreciated element at the time. Looking at the book again, I certainly still recall my own feeling that this author was on a different side of the proverbial fence than I have ever been. However, his insight is invaluable and in retrospect, even somewhat balanced, and the issues he brings to light are pertinent.

The evolution of thoughts, facts, and opinions similar to the ones found in this book will (imo) be a driving force behind the development of an acceptable solution to the strained relationship between privacy and security which we have all been feeling in one way or another. Not bad in retrospect...

Mr Baker seeks to justify a policy which will arbitrarily restrict your access to information and privacy. Quite an unpleasant surprise! Combine that with his patronizing tone, and you have a thoroughly unpleasant book.

I returned my copy.

This book is easily worth at least two or three times its cover price if you're publishing cryptographic or e-commerce software, or representing someone who is. The book is obviously the result of considerable research and reading in both US and foreign law. It serves as a useful quick reference to the legal environment encountered in many countries, and provides a wealth of background information useful when coming up to speed on the legal and political questions underlying current and proposed legislation. The depth, breadth, and quality of information in this book far surpasses that available from other publications (paper or web-based); that sitution will likely continue to be the case, even if this subject attracts the glut of "me-too" publications that other e-commerce and web subjects have.