opposing TLS-authz "experimental"

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   Dear Sir,

   As a network administrator of the University computing services at the
   FUNDP University (Namur, Belgium), and as an individual, I oppose
   the publication of draft-housley-tls-authz-extns as an experimental
   standard.

   The patent application disclosed by RedPhone Security has put any
   free software attempting to implement these extensions in a very
   difficult position. Free software developers cannot safely code to
   the specifications without risking infringement on RedPhone's
   patents. For example, as a result of these concerns and the
   uncertain situation they create, GnuTLS has removed support for them
   in its latest release -- and no other software maintained by the GNU
   Project will be written to them.

   I understand that the IETF and IESG largely share my view that
   patent-encumbered standards are unacceptable. I believe that the
   process has reached the proper conclusion -- the draft has been
   rejected as a standard. Please do not allow this decision to be
   negated by publishing it on the experimental track.

   I agree with Sam Hartman that "often it seems that we use
   informational as a way to publish things we cannot build a strong
   consensus behind. I think that process is generally problematic and
   would like to avoid it in this instance," and with Simon Josefsson
   that "[g]iven that the initial last call was to put the document on
   the standards track, my impression would be that this last call
   request for the experimental track is indeed intended to circumvent
   the normal process."

   In the long term, widespread adoption of something published on this
   track would put software authors in the same bad position as if the
   document were approved as a standard. Please respect the consensus
   that has been reached and do not publish this draft.

   Yours truly,


--
*Bruno Delcourt*
36, Rue René Rubay
B-5032 Isnes - Belgique
Tél. +32 (81) 56 92 37


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