Addendum :
We have seen apple create a new Crypto Token Kit API (obj C / Swift), and a ctkpcsc deamon that is most likely built on top of CTK.
But we have no idea if a successor for tokend is planned and whether such will be based on CTK.
WKR,
-f
On 04/27/2015 07:31 AM, Frank Marien
wrote:
Sorry Shawn, nothing personal, but that's what it looks like
from our perspective:
- What road map? We're not going to go to a WWDC just to get two
simple answers (we don't have the time, the staff, and Apple is
just one platform we need to support).
- They are really simple questions, but noone wants to commit to
an answer.
> So unfortunate that you feel the need to slander that
which you do not know.
And how can we 'know' what noone will tell us about?
Since you obviously *do* care, please feel free to show it and
answer our year-long questions:
(Frederik [in Bcc:], please correct/add, here's our chance)
We need to keep supporting Middleware (pkcs#11 module for
Firefox and others, whatever-is-required for Safari) for the
Belgian eID ; All the frameworks we used to build have now been
*deprecated* by Apple. We now have no idea:
- Whether Apple will not suddenly drop support entirely and
we'll only find out from an OSX pre-release.
- How future versions of Key Chain/Safari will handle Smart
Cards
- Whether Apple *will* still support Smart Cards on a system
level or whether we'll have to "ship-our-own" support for that
(we've tried before to create tenable builds for
SmartCardServices, ourselves, and it looks like others are
trying that road, as well - see Chris)
- Whether to contact folks like Centrify and Thursby because
Apple will outsource all Smart Card support to them?
- Whether Apple will suddenly produce a brand new Smart Card
framework that we have to scramble to support?
WHAT do we need to do to keep supporting our national ID card on
OSX, now and for the "road map"pable future? (scope: at least
the next year, every year)
Eagerly awaiting Frederik's additions and your enlightening
revelations.
WKR,
Frank.
On 04/27/2015 06:51 AM, Shawn Geddis
wrote:
Hello Chris,
Chris Inacio
schreef op 22/04/15 om 21:2359:
From my POV of some years in
a SmartCardServices-dependent project (on OSX, at least,
we support 2 other platforms), I can tell you that Apple
effectively doesn't care one damn bit. After our
years-long attempts at getting the slightest bit of
information about the largely invisible roadmap, we got..
zero response.. Even mentioning the 11 million potential
users didn't get their attention.. My impression: Apple,
being a US company, needs to appear "patriotic" and
"supporting the troops" etc.. so they cannot help but
support CAC cards, but otherwise, if you have a business
model based on anything smart-card related involving Apple
Inc.. RUN LIKE HELL!
-f
So unfortunate that you feel the need to slander
that which you do not know.
Apple does not provide OS roadmaps outside of what
is provided at WWDC. Other than that, none of your statements
above are true with respect to Apple Inc. or myself as an
Apple employee leading this project.
- Shawn
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