> [...] (One might question the cleverness of that stuff > being case-sensitive, of course.)
I believe that I shall. Realizing that leaving "VMS" in the subject line will probably cause this inquiry to sink without trace, I continue, oblivious ... http://openssl.org/docs/apps/cms.html [...] NAME cms - CMS utility SYNOPSIS openssl cms [-encrypt] [-decrypt] [-sign] [-verify] [-cmsout] [-resign] [-data_create] [-data_out] [-digest_create] [-digest_verify] [-compress] [-uncompress] [-EncryptedData_encrypt] [-sign_receipt] [-verify_receipt receipt] [-in filename] [-inform SMIME|PEM|DER] [-rctform SMIME|PEM|DER] [-out filename] [-outform SMIME|PEM|DER] [-stream -indef -noindef] [-noindef] [-content filename] [-text] [-noout] [-print] [-CAfile file] [-CApath dir] [-md digest] [-[cipher]] [-nointern] [-no_signer_cert_verify] [-nocerts] [-noattr] [-nosmimecap] [-binary] [-nodetach] [-certfile file] [-certsout file] [-signer file] [-recip file] [-keyid] [-receipt_request_all -receipt_request_first] [-receipt_request_from emailaddress] [-receipt_request_to emailaddress] [-receipt_request_print] [-secretkey key] [-secretkeyid id] [-econtent_type type] [-inkey file] [-passin arg] [-rand file(s)] [cert.pem...] [-to addr] [-from addr] [-subject subj] [cert.pem]... [...] What is the justification for having mixed-/upper-case options/values like, say: -CAfile -CApath -EncryptedData_encrypt SMIME|PEM|DER ??? Was there some expectation of having a "-cafile" which would differ semantically from "-CAfile", or a "pem" which would differ semantically from "PEM"? I realize that the interest in having this stuff work easily on VMS VAX (or older non-VAX) systems is minimal (more so even than with VMS systems in general), but, really, what's the point in the goofy-case decoration on these things? Other than the extra bother, is there any good reason not to offer corresponding all-lower-case keywords which would be equivalent to the goofy-case versions? "-EncryptedData_encrypt"??? Seriously? Why not "-EncryptedDataEncrypt" or "-Encrypted_Data_Encrypt" or "-encrypted_data_encrypt"? Is there some secret code here, of which I'm unaware? Who can remember this stuff? Who designs ("designs") this stuff? Ok, I see "[...] using a CMS Encry[p?]tedData type [...]", but then why "-compress" instead of, say, "-CompressedData_create" ("Create a CMS CompressedData type")? Or "-digest_verify" instead of, say, "-DigestedData_verify" ("Verify a CMS DigestedData type [...]")? Is there any actual scheme here? I claim no special user-interface expertise, but, to a casual observer, this stuff looks plain crazy. (And then, as a bonus, it makes life difficult on VMS.) Call me old and grumpy (but truly curious). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steven M. Schweda s...@antinode-info 382 South Warwick Street (+1) 651-699-9818 Saint Paul MN 55105-2547 ______________________________________________________________________ OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org Development Mailing List openssl-dev@openssl.org Automated List Manager majord...@openssl.org