ietf-mailsig
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: mailing list software, was What does the mailsig mechanismmean?

2004-11-03 08:44:35

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 16:29:58 -0800, Jim Fenton wrote:
 I agree that mailing lists should re-sign messages.  But I expect
 that it will take quite a while before that happens, and in the
 meanwhile, I want the original signature to work wherever possible.

and it will take quite awhile for other sending software to start 
signing, too.  shall we try to compensate for them, too, somehow?

what is significant about the current thread is the nature of the 
analysis that needs to be done, to handle the changes a mailing list 
can introduce into a previously-signed message.

internet standards that rely on these kinds of statistical and case 
analyses make for complex, problematic implementation and testing.

"complex, probleman implementation and testing" is a code-phrase for 
"difficult to adopt and make interoperate on large scale".

anyone with internet-scale testing, deployment and use experience to 
the contrary should speak up.



Folks -- we are working in a topic that has an unbroken track record 
of failing to gain ANY large-scale successes in the entire history of 
the IETF, in spite of repeated attempts.

This track record calls for taking the most narrow, focused approach 
we can.  This means the specification should be absolutely minimalist. 
We should strive for the most basic and straightforward capability we 
can.  


d/
--
Dave Crocker
Brandenburg InternetWorking
+1.408.246.8253
dcrocker  a t ...
www.brandenburg.com



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>