It seems pretty clear to me. Both Jeff Schiller and Keith Moore have
stated categorically that RC2, because of its "trade secret" status is not
an acceptible algorithm for an IETF standards track document. They get
to decide on that particular issue. I am fully in agreement with them on
this issue.
Given a willingness to move ahead, the 5 options listed by Ned are now
reduced to two options:
(1) Drop any trade secret claims for the algorithms used in S/MIME.
(2) Completely remove them from the S/MIME standard-to-be. It isn't a
question of whether or not it can be required -- in point of fact
you cannot mention these algorithms at all.
The ball is clearly in RSA's court. Will you or will you not relinquish
the trade secret status on RC2. The only possible answers to this
question are "YES" or "NO". If the answer is no, then it cannot be
included in an IETF standards track document. Once we hear officially
from RSA on this issue, we can proceed.
---
Steve Hole VP, Research and Development
The Esys Corporation EMail: steve(_at_)esys(_dot_)ca
900 10040 - 104 St. Phone: 403-424-4922
Edmonton, AB, Canada Fax: 403-424-4925
T5J 0Z6