From: Eric Hughes <hughes@soda.berkeley.edu>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 93 06:51:21 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Term software development/design
In-Reply-To: <9306020647.AA20551@hydra.unm.edu>
Message-ID: <9306021425.AA13721@soda.berkeley.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


>As for the creation of new term programs, I'd have to say making it RELY
>on a FOSSIL driver is a BAD idea.  

The reason to use FOSSIL, and it is a sufficiently strong reason, is
that with some layer of abstraction at that low level, you can't do
end-to-end link encryption transparently.

For example, if you want to do a download over a secure channel, if
you have to use an external protocol, and if that protocol talks
directly to the serial port, then you can't use it, because the
protocol will see only gibberish.  If, on the other had, the protocol
driver uses FOSSIL, and if your FOSSIL can set up an encrypted
channel, then the protocol will perform as expected without being
aware that it's underlying connection is encrypted.

>Almost NO new door software uses FOSSILs, because
>companies like Compaq are making more-compatible machines with less
>proprietary garbage in them.  

The reason to use FOSSIL is not compatibility, but abstraction.  It's
the only abstraction for serial communications the PC has, and we'd
better take advantage of it.

Eric