On 27 May 2002 at 19:56, Peter Gutmann wrote:

jamesd@echeque.com writes:

...

My impression is that S/MIME sucks big ones, because it commits one to a certificate system based on verisign or equivalent.

I'll say this one more time, slowly for those at the back: What you're criticising is PEM circa 1991, not S/MIME. Things have moved on a bit since then.

You need a certification authority. Every one you deal with has to acknowledge whatever certification authority gave you your certificate. Interaction with big public certification authorities is impractically painful for most users. If you uses S/MIME, you need a Thawte or Verisign certificate, and the guy you are trying to work with is never going to get a Thawte or Verisign certificate.