From: Jay Campbell <edge@got.net>
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 95 17:15:16 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: netscape mail starts java attachments upon get new mail...
Message-ID: <199510100028.RAA24101@you.got.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


>OBcrypto: in one of the Java papers I saw a refrence to use of RSA
>signitures to allow browser users to say things like "I trust Sun
>(or Tim May) to write applets that use Foo not to harm me".  It
>wasn't in the public release of HotJava because of licencing 
>constrints.  Any speculation on whether Netscape will (eventually)
>support that feature?

If this is the case, my big hope is that Netscape doesn't limit /this/ trust
system to a pre-approved set of corporate entities I'll (as a private
individual) have to pay $300 for if I want my apps to do anything more than
bounce faces around a user's screen.

A model allowing multiple entities to put a stamp of approval (possibly with
some sort of hash/checksum to match an app in question against an approval
certificate) /would/ make things easier for the user, though, allowing them
to set up a set of blanket rules instead of pausing and pondering a
particular programmer's trustworthiness every new site he visits... a la
Tim's Dirt Cheap Java Security Approval Company.

Please don't nail me on semantics; I use all above terms loosely.
--
   Jay Campbell - Regional Operations Manager
   -=-=-=-=-=-=-  Sense Networking (Santa Cruz Node) 
   edge@got.net   "Shoot the Fruit Loop"            
 
"On the Information Superhighway, I'm the guy 
  behind you in this morning's traffic jam leaning on his horn."