Date: Tue, Mar 24, '92 22:15:21 PST
From: John F. McMullen <
[email protected]>
Subject: File 8-- CFP-2: Sterling Speaks For "The Unspeakable" (NEWSBYTES)
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 25(NB) -- Bruce Sterling, the
prime luncheon speaker at the 2nd Annual Conference On Computers
Freedom & Privacy (CFP-2), fulfilled his program billing as "Speaking
for the Unspeakable" by taking on three separate persona and
delivering what might have been their messages.
Sterling, best known as a science fiction writer, spoke for three
characters, a "a malicious hacker", a Latin American police official
and a Hong Kong businessman, who were, in his words, "too venal,
violent, treacherous, power-mad, suspicious, or mean-spirited to
receive (or accept) an invitation to attend."
Sterling began his speech by introducing himself and then saying "When
the CFP committee asked me if I might recommend someone to speak here
at CFP-2, I had an immediate candidate. I thought it would be great if
we could all hear from a guy who's been known as Sergei. Sergei was
the KGB agent runner for the Chaos Computer Club group who broke into
Cliff Stoll's computer in the famous Cuckoo's Egg case. Now Sergei is
described as a stocky bearded Russian espionage professional in his
mid-40's. He's married, has kids and his hobby is fishing, in more
senses than one, apparently. Sergei used to operate out of East
Berlin, and, as far as I personally know, Sergei's operation was the
world's first and only actual no-kidding, real-life case of
international computer espionage, So I figured -- why not send Yelsin
a fax and offer Sergei some hard currency; things are pretty lean over
at KGB First Directorate these days. CFP could have flown this guy in
from Moscow on a travel scholarship and I'm sure that a speech from
Sergei would be far more interesting than anything I'm likely to offer
here. My proposal wasn't taken up and instead I was asked to speak
here myself. Too bad! "This struck me as rather a bad precedent for
CFP which has struggled hard to maintain a broad universality of
taste. Whereas you're apparently willing to tolerate science fiction
writers but already certain members of the computer community, KGB
agents, are being quietly placed beyond the pale. But you know, ladies
and gentlemen, just because you ignore someone, doesn't mean that
person ceases to exist -- and you've not converted someone's beliefs
merely because you won't listen. But instead of Comrade Sergei, here I
am -- and I am a science fiction writer and, because of that, I
rejoice in a complete lack of any kind of creditability!
"Today I hope to make the best of that anomalous position. Like other
kinds of court jesters, science fiction writers are sometimes allowed
to speak certain kinds of unspeakable truth, if only an apparent
parody or metaphor. So today, ladies and gentlemen, I will exercise my
inalienable civil rights as a science fiction writer to speak up on
behalf of the excluded and the incredible. In fact, I plan to abuse my
talents as a writer of fiction to actually recreate some of these
excluded, incredible unspeakable people for you and to have them
address you today. I want these people, three of them, to each briefly
address this group just as if they were legitimately invited here and
just as if they could truly speak their mind right here in public
without being arrested."
Sterling then went on to assure the crowd that he was not speaking his
personal conviction, only those of his characters, and warned the
group that some of the material might be offensive. He then launched
into the delivery of his characters' speeches -- speeches which had
the hacker talking about real damage - "the derailing of trains"; the
Latin police official, a friend and admirer of Noriega, discussing the
proper way of dealing with hackers; and the businessman explaining
way, in the age of high speed copiers, laser printers and diskette
copying devices, the US copyright laws are irrelevant.
Often intercepted by laughter and applause, Sterling received a
standing ovation at the conclusion of the speech. Computer Press
Association newsletter editor Barbara McMullen was overhead telling
Sterling that he had replaced "Alan Kay as her favorite luncheon
speaker." while conference chair Lance Hoffman, who had received an
advance copy of the speech a few weeks before, described the speech as
"incredible and tremendous".
Sterling, relaxing after the talk with a glass of Jack Daniels, told
Newsbytes that the speech had been fun but a strain, adding "Next time
they'll really have to get Sergei. I'm going back to fiction."
Sterling's non-fiction work on computer crime, "The Hacker Crackdown"
is due out from Bantam in the fall and an audio tape of the CFP-2
speech is available from Audio Archives. He is the author of "Islands
In The Net" and is the co-author, with William Gibson, of the
presently best-selling "The Difference Engine".
John F. McMullen/Press Contact: Audio Archives, 818 957-0874/19920325)
Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253
