I have a stupid question. I've been converting the various address book and calendar backends to my key-file based ESource proposal, and in several configuration dialogs such as LDAP address books and GroupWise calendars, I see this setting with choices in a combo box:
Use secure connection: SSL encryption TLS encryption No encryption But the backends that offer those choices all have a very different interpretation of them: Use secure connection: Always When Possible Never First of all, why the disparity between the combo box label (first set) and the actual meaning (second set)? I've never understood why I need to choose between SSL and TLS encryption in the first place. Changing these combo box labels to match their actual meaning strikes me as an obvious improvement to help clarify things, or am I missing something that's supposed to be implied by choosing between SSL and TLS? But before we fix that, read on. What is the value of a "When Possible" option anyway? The option itself seems dangerous to begin with, especially since the UI does not indicate whether your network connection is encrypted or not [1]. If I want an encrypted connection, I WANT AN ENCRYPTED CONNECTION. I can't imagine a use case where I would say "Well, encrypt my sensitive data if you can but otherwise go ahead and send it in the clear. Oh, and don't bother telling me which one you've chosen either." But labeling the option as "TLS encryption" seems downright misleading, and I bet it explains more than a few bugs I've seen over the years from users that selected encryption but then found their data is still being transmitted in the clear. These options have a foul legacy odor to them, because newer backends like Google and CalDAV just have a straight-forward checkbox: [x] Use secure connection (or [x] Use SSL or [x] Secure connection ... I'll make it consistent) So unless I'm completely missing the value of a "When Possible" option, could we please ditch it and just use a checkbox across the board? It would simplify the UI, it would simplify the GSettings schemas, it would simplify the logic that honors it, and it would make Evolution a little more internally consistent. [1] Having a little lock icon next to sidebar items with encrypted network connections is a feature worth considering regardless. _______________________________________________ evolution-hackers mailing list evolution-hackers@gnome.org To change your list options or unsubscribe, visit ... http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/evolution-hackers