Re: comment on reducing padding (Re: Re: libfastmint update 20040915)

On Fri, Sep 17, 2004 at 06:35:24AM +0000, Justin Guyett wrote:
> Why should they have a hashcash binary?  Any embedded system without a
> compiler then has to be supplied with a hashcash binary by whatever
> entity compiles the rest of the system.
> 
> Knowledge of and modification to the stamp format should not be required
> at all in order to measure the raw (version 0 style) value of the stamp.

I agree.

Another approach without changing v1 format is to just not use
performance tuned padding by default (It saves about 15% CPU time on
creation and no difference on verification, but given CPu variance
this is not a breaking speed difference).

Then add an option for people who need to generate stamps eg on a
server to use the speed optimized approach (with padding).

> Is there a good reason to standardize padding in the last field?  Why
> not let the generator do whatever it wants, including omitting the
> counter field entirely?

Adam