What's broke: The term "privacy enhanced mail" emphasizes the privacy
aspect of PEM and does not mention integrity or authentication. I
also find the use of "enhanced" a bit strange stylistically.
The fix: The acronym is useful, so working within the acronym, the
term Protected Electronic Mail (or Protected E-Mail) fits nicely.
In my mind, integrity and authentication are both aspects of privacy.
My Webster agrees, defining privacy as "the quality or state of being
apart from others," which would be strongly facilitated by measures of
integrity and authentication. ("This is mine, that is yours, and no
others have interfered.")
Another point you referred to is style. Although it may be subsidiary in
most people's minds to technical considerations, I think the poetic aspect
of terminology is important, and "privacy enhanced" just _flows_ better
than "protected electronic." Since the acronym will be used more often than
not, it's only partly a valid point, but the more elegant the original term,
the better people will remember it and value its meaning. (I was first
drawn into studying PEM because the idea of "Privacy Enhanced Mail" seemed
refreshingly honest and concise in today's jargon world.)
Semi-fix: If the term does need changing, I would suggest using "Private
Electronic Mail" instead of "Protected." Private is still comprehensive,
and it's a little bit more specific.
_TNX._
--
Stephen F. Eley (-) gt6877c(_at_)prism(_dot_)gatech(_dot_)edu )-( Student Pagan
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