Hi Peter,
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From: pgut001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx[SMTP:pgut001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 10:54 AM
To: ietf-pkix@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: New test TSA available
I've now updated the TSA to conform to the latest draft (except for the TSA
cert, because I'm using a shared generic cert which gets recycled for SSL,
OCSP, CMP, and everything else). And now a rant about the latest draft...
<rant>
Since I last looked at this, it seems to have picked up an incredible amount of
unnecessary and confusing cruft. There are two main things which stand out,
the first is that everything seems to be repeated two or three times over,
sometimes in consecutive sentences but usually spread far apart and stated in a
contradictory and confusing manner. The other thing is that there seems to be
way too much text in there which doesn't serve any purpose except to confuse
the reader. For example consider the bit which begins:
(...some text deleted...)
</rant>
Peter.
I'm sure we all appreciated your edifying rant.
Might I suggest that you some day write your own Internet Draft and successfully guide it to standards-track RFC status, carefully negotiating your way through scores of requests for additional functionality and never-ending clarification (over a period of several years) without compromising your original desire for brevity and simplicity in any way?
Once you have done this, you will no doubt win the heart-felt (albeit silent) respect of many of your peers. Unfortunately, you will probably also have to endure the heart-felt (albeit vocal) criticism of those few who are still not satisfied.
It's a thankless task, but one I would be happy to see you undertake.
Carlisle.