Re: [Auth]Impressions of XNS

[Norbert Bollow]

David Sugar <address@hidden> wrote:

> I never objected to a centralized authentication scheme, just to having 
> only one authentication authority, or one that could not be deployed 
> freely on free software by anyone at any level at any location.  If I 
> can run a server at home and can have it be my authentication 
> "authority" for my family, and have it keep my "identity" information at 
> home, then I believe the essential goals of DotGNU are effectivily met. 

I agree... and according to what the XNSORG folks tell me, this
will be possible with XNS.

Other good news is

- they (claim to) have working code, which they plan to release
  under GPL (plus another license that is designed to make
  proprietary companies happy as well)

- their code is in Java (for which support is a priority in
  DotGNU anyway.)

>  If only a single vendor, a privileged "vendor", a specific group of 
> vendors, or "organization" can run authentication or hold identity 
> information for me, and the methods of operation involve trade secrets 
> or source secret systems running on proprietary software, then I believe 
> no "liberty" has been achieved and such systems do not meet any of our 
> goals.

Yes.

> With that, I think it is possible to establish a reasonable "means" test 
> for determining if XNS does meet our goals, either in part or in full, 
> in this area.

Agreed.

Greetings, Norbert.

-- 
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