Date: Tue, Mar 24, '92 22:15:21 PST From: John F. McMullen 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