> [...] (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
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