Re: operational protocols

[Stef Hoeben <[e-mail]>]

On Mon, 7 Apr 1997, David Boyce wrote:
> 
> However, the issue at the heart of the question remains one of the user 
> wanting to establish a legally-binding requirement of service on the 
> Directory, which is quite a different matter.  I don't see that CILs 
> solve this either - if the Directory refuses to provide certs, why 
> should it provide CILs?

If you know a Directory refuses to provide certs, you can do something
about it (complain to the CA, ...). But the problem is to know whether 
a Directory refuses to provide certs or just doesn't have them. I think
the CIL helps you with this:

>From your mail, it looks that , receiving no response from a Directory
after a request can mean:
(1) Your request didn't receive the Directory
(2) The Directory refuses to give you the requested cert
(3) The Directory doesn't have the requested cert
	(are there other possibilities?)
If you have a CIL, (3) can't happen.
By trying again or asking the system admin what's
happing, you can exclude (1) (isn't it?)
So only (2) is left over: if you don't get an answer after
some requests, you know the Directory is tricking you.

Stef