Subject: Packet Numbers

From: "William H. Geiger III" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000 08:56:32 -0500

Hi,

I would like to propose to the list that we reserve a block of packet
numbers for future use by NAI's PGP & GNUPG.

This would eliminate problems of either of these vendors grabbing packet
numbers to use for new packets for production level software (PhotoID
packet is a good example).

I also propose that in exchange for providing these vendors with a block
of packet numbers that they agree to document the packet formats within a
time after using them in production level software (six months sound
good?).

Any packets that a vendor wishes to keep proprietary should stay in the
+100 range reserved for experimental packets.

tks,

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------
William H. Geiger III      http://www.openpgp.net  
Geiger Consulting    

Data Security & Cryptology Consulting
Programming, Networking, Analysis
 
PGP for OS/2:               http://www.openpgp.net/pgp.html
E-Secure:                   http://www.openpgp.net/esecure.html
---------------------------------------------------------------

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From: "L. Sassaman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 01:41:53 -0700 (PDT)

I think this is an excellent idea. However, a few comments:

> numbers for future use by NAI's PGP & GNUPG.

We'll need to propose a method for adding other implementations in the
future as well.

> time after using them in production level software (six months sound

6 months sounds good. The documentation should be a supplimentary
RFC. There is no reason to have to rewrite the OpenPGP standard each time.

> +100 range reserved for experimental packets.

I would also propose that packet 100 be assigned to X.509 certificates,
provided NAI documents this format, and the experimental block be moved to
101 --> 110. I also propose that no implementation should use an
experimental packet in a production state (these should be for testing
only!)

- --Len.

__

L. Sassaman

System Administrator                |  "It's a nice day 
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icq.. 10735603                      |    
pgp.. finger://ns.quickie.net/rabbi |        --Billy Idol