Perhaps some FoRKers can suggest what Mr. Zimmerman's board should have
done instead? To paraphrase a cyphernomicon[1]: "Don't get mad,
get even. Sell code."
My understanding is that despite "four million users in 50 countries"[2],
PGP, Inc. did not have appreciable revenue, and after one has run in
the red long enough, it can be very difficult to find financing.
I should think Cypherpunks would be happy to observe the rather lopsided
balance of power between politics and economics that this acquisition
demonstrates :-)
-Dave
[1] http://www.oberlin.edu/~brchkind/cyphernomicon/chapter3/3.4.html
[2] http://www.pgp.com/newsroom/prel47.cgi