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Lutz Donnerhacke wrote:
On Mon, Oct 20, 1997 at 07:33:14PM +0100, Mike Wynn wrote:
Because this is an Open protocol I think that the
"Version" should be split into two parts
one part which is which protocol version and
the other part who's program wrote it and its version
currently there is PGP versions and Cryptix Versions
You are correct in pointing out, that the Version is the program version.
The packet version should not supplied by the header, due to the fact, that
this information comes out while parsing the octet stream. Providing such a
packet version armor header causes trouble due to software denoting a
maximum value and using lower ones in the real message. Providing the really
used packet version violates the one pass principle.
This is a very useful clarification, I have often been confused over
this point.
So, the standard should at least point out that the "Version" field is
akin to a comment by the software agent that produced the packet, and
the contents are not formally indicative of any compatibility
information. Even to point out that the real packet version is embedded
in the octet stream at x.x.x.x would be useful.
I think this clarification would be useful because of the temptation to
treat the Version: as a version simply because it says so. In practice,
I suspect many writers of scripts will quite happily apply this logic
(Version: is version) because they rely on downstream software to
interpret the byte stream, but need clues now to work out what packet
they are holding.
In an ideal world, we could then consider changing the name of the field
to something like "Agent:" or "Software:" or "Produced by:" or "Message
from our sponsor:" ... however I personally would shrink from suggesting
a gratuitous change.
- --
iang systemics.com
FP: 1189 4417 F202 5DBD 5DF3 4FCD 3685 FDDE on pgp.com
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