Subject: Re: ASN.1 vs XML (used to be RE: I-D ACTION:draft-ietf-pkix-scvp-00.txt)

From: [email-masked] (Peter Gutmann)
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 08:32:24 (NZST)

Timothy Fisher <[email-masked]>

>Ambarish Malpani wrote:

>>Can we please change the subject on this discussion?

>I think it would be a very smart idea to move the Certificate encoding
>mechanism from ASN.1 to XML.   ASN.1 has always been the down-side of X.509
>certificates.  XML would be a great improvement.

How about the following: Tim redefines and re-specs all of X.509 in XML,
implements the whole lot, and then lets the market decide (for maximum impact
you should do it all in Java and use CORBA/IIOP to move the certs around).  If
XML is really a superior solution then obviously everyone will flock to it and
ASN.1-based X.509 will die a natural death.  QED.

Peter.

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From: Timothy Fisher <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 14:25:47 -0700

Peter,

Nice suggestion, unfortunately your not being realistic.   One person/company
could not make this change successful.

Tim