Re: user-visible goals

[Martin Duerst <duerst@xxxxxx>]

At 19:55 04/02/01 -0800, Chuq Von Rospach wrote:


> On Feb 1, 2004, at 8:14 PM, william@xxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > - Users want to be able to make sure they are the only ones who can use
> > their email address (no spoofing)
>
> Probably unrealistic, but it probably is realistic to build a system that 
> allows a receiver of a message to prove that it did (or didn't) come from 
> the person claiming to send it. This may seem like nitpicking, but the 
> semantical change is important.

Well, yes, your are right that the recipient always could deny to do
any checking. But the wording "allows a receiver to prove" suggests
that the receiver checks on demand (like "oh, this message says it's
from Chuq, looks quite like him, but let's for a change check whether
it's really from him"). I think a better wording is "build a system
that checks for the receiver that it did come from the person claiming
to send it". With the new system, the user should not have to bother
at all.

Regards,   Martin.