“The Clinton administration is considering relaxing export
limits on computer source code for data scrambling programs, in a
possible move acknowledging the growing importance of Linux, a top
export official said today.“
“Undersecretary of Commerce William Reinsch said the
administration had originally intended to maintain current export
limits on source code, or instructions written by a computer
programmer that can be compiled into a computer program.”
“But after the administration announced it would significantly
relax many of its limits on already compiled computer encryption
programs, high-tech companies complained that retaining the source
code limit was unworkable, Reinsch said in a telephone
interview.”