OpenBSD developers used to have development sprints and code check ins in Canada to work around US crypto laws.
It’s hard to explain how big a deal OpenSSH was/is and how much we owe to the OpenBSD project for it.
Also the fork from NetBSD is way more colorful.
Yip, I brought OpenBSD CD set back in that era (2.4 release!) and asked in the order if it included the crypto lib's and got a hand written note with shipment saying exactly why they ship from Canada and no worries. Believe it was Theo who wrote that as well. This was mid/late 90's era.
Maybe I should dig that out and pop into a museum of some sorts, as a bit of history and unique.
I do recall it was the initial release with blowfish so, that's pretty neat.
> OpenBSD developers used to have development sprints and code check ins in Canada to work around US crypto laws.
That is mentioned in the article:
Fortunately for us, the project was always coordinated from Canada by undisputed project leader Theo de Raadt. There is anecdotal evidence that US-based developers would trek across the border for hackathons with clean slate equipment to install OpenBSD while in Canada and hack — that is, work on the system — and would then legally bring the result back with them.
Unfortunate since there is soo much drama and progress missed.
Does not help that the "part 1" is missing from the link either.