Re: Another update of GNU TLS bindings

[Simon Josefsson]

Richard Stallman <address@hidden> writes:

>     GNUTLS is a library, OpenSSL is both a library and an application.
>     William's ssl.el invokes the binary.  This is a inflexible method, it
>     is complicated to find out what algorithms chosed during the TLS
>     handshake, and generally difficult to do anything interactive during
>     the TLS handshake.
>
> I see why that method is not as flexible.  But it is nonetheless a
> useful alternative.  If OpenSSL can do it, why can't we do it?

I am sure "we" as in the GNUTLS developer can do it.  Should I forward
this request to them?  I agree it would be a useful feature.  It might
even be on their todo list.  However, I'm not sure this would be
useful for Emacs though, because using it would only move us to the
same level as we have with the current OpenSSL support.

>     Even if GNUTLS shipped with a binary allowing it to do all the things
>     OpenSSL currently does, it would not be satisfactory.
>
> Would this method be less satisfactory for GNUTLS than it is for OpenSSL?

No, it would be the same. However this method is generally
unsatisfactory.  That is what prompted me to write the GNUTLS bindings
for Emacs.