Subject: RE: WG chairs, TSP, and two grades of time data

From: Hal Lockhart <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 12:34:04 -0400

Todd, et al

I for one have been baffled by this discusion.

> You asked to have TTP inserted into the name.  Steve 
> suggested that the
> scope could note that the spec is based on a TTP model.  I 
> think that's
> reasonable.

The abstract of the document begins:

"A time stamping service allows to prove that a datum existed before 
a particular time and can be used by a Trusted Third Party (TTP) as 
one component in building reliable non-repudiation services (see 
[ISONR])."

The beginning of the Introduction says:

"In order to associate a datum with a particular point in time, a
Time Stamp Authority (TSA) may need to be used.  This Trusted Third 
Party provides a "proof-of-existence" for this particular datum at an 
instant in time."

Without getting in to the merits of a TTP vs. non-TTP approach, why has it
not been clear to everybody for the last year or so that this protocol is
based on the use of a TTP?

Regardsd,

Hal
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