This is in response to the entire thread, not any particular message.
One major problem I see with Titan Key is that it relies on SMTP. If at some
point SMTP is superceded by another protocol this type of system will no
longer be useful (Perhaps the idea would be useful, but not the actual
implementation.
This implies the broader question: Should the ASRG support methods that rely
on the SMTP protocol to work? Many have pointed to the SMTP protocol as a
source of problems, and I personally believe the chances of SMTP being the
standard email transfer method in 20-50 years are slim.
I see any solution that cannot stand on it's own, independent of protocol,
as a temporary bandaid on the larger problem (unless that protocol is
perfect and will never ever be changed for all of time). Any support for an
old protocol simply extends it's life, and SMTP is showing it's age.
Also, changing how SMTP is handled to do extra checks can make MTAs more
vulnerable to resource consuming Denial of Service attacks because every
mail message received requires more resources in the receiver than the
sender.
I see the solution to this as a decision about whether or not ASRG should
invest it's time and effort in a protocol that is old, and subject to abuse.
If the answer is no, then i believe much of the constant bickering over
specific details in SMTP can be avoided. Solutions discussed here might be
more forward looking, and less reliant on squeezing as much as possible from
what we have.
I have often theorized that people can be divided into a spectrum by how
much effort is put into making money, and how much is put into saving money…
People at the extreme ends of the spectrum use almost all of their energy on
one or the other. There are people who almost live on coupons, and free
deals, and there are people who are so focused on making the money that even
taking the time to go shopping would be a waste.
It is the people in the middle who seem to struggle the most with the
balance. They are not as efficient at either one, so their less effective
saving of less money combine to cause money problems.
I believe the way to go is the production of resources, rather than the
saving of resources. In this group I believe we should not scrape the bowl
to find every last crumb of good in what we have now... Enough people are
doing that. I believe that we, as a Research group, should be the most
forward looking group that we can be.
John Fenley
_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
_______________________________________________
Asrg mailing list
Asrg(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/asrg