Deocs Postmaster writes:
Kings,
I think this may be an SSL issue, see below.
The reason this is a problem is that the users of this system (the
authors) should not be expected to re-authenticate each and every time
they wish to view or manipulate common file types contained in the web
folders. Seems reasonable. No doubt this is a quirk of the MS Web
Folders implementation -- clients like cadaver (command-line-based)
don't behave in this manner.
We use DAV as a file system that remote users can access,
and since they come in through SSL, the login, password,
data, etc. are encrypted. Its basically used as a substitute
for FTP with SSL with drag/drop. We haven't gone to the next
Dave -- This also was our initial goal.
step of interacting with the file system from the client side
through applications.
After seeing the capabilities of DAV in conjunction with Web Folders,
such as the promise, as you say, of using applications with files
located on the remote filesystem, we are trying to make it fly with as
few non-transparencies for the user as possible. The multiple
authentication challenges are a slight nuisance.
I must say I'm impressed with the Web Folders implementation.
I tried opening a Word document, and I did have to validate
with login/password, but if I opened a second document while
Word was still running, it opened without login/password.
Yes, same situation here.
Here is my guess:
(1) Each application from the user machine has to be
independently validated each time it runs, but once its
running, it retains its validation.
This is generally true, however an exception that I've noticed is IE.
Opening multiple HTML files (even the same ones) while IE still runs
results in challenges for each file.
(2) If a second application runs, it also needs to be validated.
So if I connect from IE and validate, I will still need
to validate if I try to connect from Netscape.
Yes.
Does this match your Cadaver experience?
Yes, in the application as client view, cadaver would require
authentication once, as would another separate cadaver process.
I naively supposed that Microsoft, since it integrated the Web Folders
idea into their Explorer concept, etc., might have also integrated the
authentication. (see SAMBA idea, below.)
Provided (1) and (2) are ~correct, then it would be nice
if there was some way SSL would allow all applications
from a specific IP to be validated after one application
was validated. I can see ways that would be dangerous.
I think the multiple challenge problem (nuisance?) is a client (and
therefore MS) problem.
Ideally, the MS applications would refer to a centralized
authentication mechanism. Isn't that how SAMBA works? Each
application can access a remote SAMBA filesystem without
re-authenticating.
Kings
Or, is there some way for files opened from a web folder
to exchange data as if it was the same application. I
think this would be a M$ question.
Dave
__
Apache Interface to OpenSSL (mod_ssl) www.modssl.org
User Support Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Automated List Manager[EMAIL PROTECTED]
__
Apache Interface to OpenSSL (mod_ssl) www.modssl.org
User Support Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Automated List Manager[EMAIL PROTECTED]
