RE: RE: Notary services requirements -- directions?

[Larry Masinter <LMM@xxxxxxx>]

I'm looking at the task of updating the Notary Services
Requirement document, and I'm still not sure about what
direction the working group wants to take.

Arshad Noor wrote:

> I would recommend that the WG first describe, specifically, 
> which aspects of the human notary processes are expected 
> to be automated through technology (through detailed use
> cases), and then identify the current & anticipated risks to 
> each step of the revised processes and the environment, 
> before embarking on defining solutions.  

I think the scope of "Digital Notary Services" includes
some processes that don't have an exact analogy with
human notary processes.

For example, mechanical time-stamping by tamper-resistant
devices isn't a process that is easily described as an
"aspect of the human notary processes". So while I agree
with Arshad's stepwise approach, the range of possibilities
is somewhat broader. I think we are looking at a range
of network services that provide future assurances about
current or past documents or events.

>From this point of view, we can look at the "human notary
processes" for inspiration, but not necessarily as the
driver of requirements.

Proposed revised Abstract:
     This document establishes the scope and requirements for
     protocol development in the area of 'digital notary services':
     network services that provide future assurances about
     current or past documents or events.  The term 'notary service'
     is used by analogy with the wide range of services offered
     by human notaries for paper-based processes.
     The document discusses the historical context of
     notary services, defines terms, includes use cases and scenarios,
     and establishes technical requirements for network protocols
     for communication with network elements providing
     related services.

We were hoping to get some information from the OASIS LegalXML
group... does anyone have any news on that, or on the liaison request?

Larry