ietf-openpgp
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Re: Adding in BZ2 compression?

2003-07-20 02:41:36

On 7/17/03 3:13 PM, "Len Sassaman" <rabbi(_at_)abditum(_dot_)com> wrote:

Putting multiple options for anything into a protocol does practical
implications in the context of an anonymity system, however. (I'm not
saying this should prevent adding a new compression algorithm if it serves
a purpose -- it's just something to keep in mind.)


I was basically against it until it was explained to me why people wanted
it, and I ended up thinking, "Hmmm, we don't have a compression system in
there that's newer than 1977, and customers are often right."

Yes, I know that there are potential interoperability issues when keys get
migrated around, but I also of the opinion that when an implementation
imports a key, it should make sure that the preferences reflect what it
supports.

Amen. Can that be explicitly stated in the next draft?


I'm under the impression that it already says "SHOULD" in there. I don't
think it should be any stronger. It's a feature of OpenPGP that it's small.
I don't want to force someone who wants to embed OpenPGP in something like a
pager network (yeah, yeah, these days pagers play videos) to have to do
everything in PGP or GPG.

OpenPGP is not supposed to mandate all the features a good desktop program
should have. 

    Jon