[foaf-protocols] comparing browser support for client certs

[Story Henry]

Here are some initial findings using Melvin's login

	https://foaf.me/simpleLogin.php

service to find out how the different web browsers interact on my  
platform, which is OSX 10.5.6. You need a foaf+ssl to login there.

1. Firefox 3.1 beta 2
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This opens a drop down allowing me to choose my client certificates.  
One could give oneself easy to understand names here, for say a work  
and a private certificate. Firefox requires one to enter a special  
firefox master password once per Firefox session, which can last a week.

2. Opera
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Opera 9.63 opens a drop down, like firefox but asks for the master  
password every time it seems. Opera can be set to only ask once an  
hour, which still could be a bit annoying...


3. Safari
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I thought I had succeeded in getting this to work with Safari. But for  
some reason it does not asks me for client certificates now. Has  
anyone else got this to work? Or is this just a problem I am having now?

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r20416537-Safari-client-certificate-support

Bruno Harbulot pointed me to this thread too that explains some more
http://lists.apple.com/archives/apple-cdsa/2008/Jun/msg00006.html

I am worried that Apple thinks that a client certificate can only be  
tied to one server. foaf+ssl disprooves this.

Note how if one thinks that a client cert has to be linked to one  
server, then of course one will hardly see the interest in client certs.

4. IE ?
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Perhaps we should put together some place where we can put pictures up  
of how this works with different browsers.

Henry


Blog: http://blogs.sun.com/bblfish