leapsecond

[Infoman Inc.]

Thanks for this notification.

I am a Canadian participant in ISO TC154 standardization work with respect
to ISO 8601 Representation of Dates and Times as well as in ISO/IEC JTC1
SC32 Data Management and Interchange and SC27 Security Services. I also
working in the voluntary standards area for Industry Canada's Task Force on
Electronic Commerce.

The reason for this introduction is that in various standardization areas
and business sectors there is an increasing need for a standard for a
date/time stamping service, related protocols  and even trusted third
party(TTP) certified time stamps, etc.

My approach here is (1) is do not do work that overlaps/duplicates that
which already exists, (2) utilise expertise that exists and work that is
already done (or being done); and (3) do not "over kill", i.e. business,
scientific and other requirements are not homogeneous and depending on the
nature of the business transaction, application, etc. require different
levels of granularity/degrees of preciseness not do users require TTPs,
asymmetric cryptographic algorithms, etc. at all times. A modular,
lego-block approach is needed.

Can any of you help me out on this? Have some ideas? Are any of you aware of
"standardised" approaches/implementations for date/time stamping services
currently in existence that can/should serve as input into the development
of an international standard?, etc.

Comments, info, advice, etc. here is much appreciated.

Regards - Jake Knoppers <<mpereira at istar.ca>>