More on DEFCAD, the ITAR, and cryptography

Adam Shostack has a very interesting post exploring the history of cryptography and the ITAR, and what is going on with 3D printing:

Cory Doctorow has said “Impact litigation — where good precedents overturn bad rules — is greatly assisted by good facts and good defendants. I would much rather the Internet-as-library question be ruled on in a less emotionally overheated realm than DIY guns.” I think that’s reasonable, but recall that Shaw claimed that all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

Doctorow also refers to Bernstein, who did good work, but his lawsuit was the last nail in ITARs applying to crypto, not the first.

There's some history there, including the Applied Cryptography floppy disk incident.  Needless to say, I agree with his analysis (and have said so here), but he gives some background that is added richness to the discussion.