21.   Companies that develop systems before the two-year period can begin exporting encryption software of any level at that time, if they register their keys.

22.   Current export-control regulations permit only financial institutions to obtain strong encryption software and hardware internationally.

23.   Cyberspace entrepreneurs have apparently made the first retail transaction on the Internet using powerful data encryption software designed to guarantee privacy.

24.   Digital Equipment Corp. and two other companies won U.S. Commerce Department approval to export stronger encryption software in exchange for freer government access to information.

25.   Encryption software is used most often by financial institutions and others who send confidential information via the Internet.

26.   Encryption software is key to helping business uses for the Internet, especially electronic commerce, take off.

27.   Encryption software scrambles data as it travels across computer networks so it cannot be read by hackers.

28.   Federal officials had argued that the restrictions are needed to keep encryption software out of the hands of terrorists and drug dealers.

29.   For example, Parker noted that Silicon Valley executives successfully opposed Clinton administration efforts to restrict the use of powerful encryption software that scrambles digital messages.

30.   Founders Jeff Strobel and Mark Reichelt devised encryption software so publishers could sell rights to download books or newspapers into Palm Pilots.