One of the biggest hurdles that those who want to use smart cards in association with personal computers have to overcome is the lack of interchangeability of card readers. Having difficulties with the differences betwen smart cards is bad enough (and note that there is still no standard method to identify a smart card once it is powered up), but when faced with getting two layers correct (card driver and card reader driver) many organisations have given up trying to promote mass use of smart cards. In Europe we now have the public sector deploying smart cards in volume, but still having difficulties using them to assist in delivering the European Commission's vision of mass deployment of e-services for the citizen and businesses. With a couple of associates, I have for 6 months been working (very much part time) for two UK government departments on assessing the infrastructure requirements and problems associated with mass deployment of public sector. In that period we have seen a great deal of progress in understanding the problems in the infrastruture, and also a great deal of progress, particularly among the contributors to this list, in developing support software for handling smart cards. Our general conclusion is that common specifications have to be used at each stage from e-service provider all the way to and including the smart card.
At the level of the interface between personal computer and card reader, the USB CCID method now has to be the specification of choice. It is clear from the information posted to this MUSCLE list that, although CCID driver technology is still maturing, we are close to the position where an application programmer can be confident that many types of card reader from many suppliers can deliver, via the CCID method, the universal link between the personal computer and the smart card.
The messages to Nathan are:
- ensure that you test with many types of card reader from many manufacturers, so long as they use the USB CCID method
- your goal must be to enable the personal computer application to be independent of the type of CCID-compliant card reader, and thus to allow the market for card readers to be open
Peter
Peter Tomlinson MA (Oxon), Iosis Associates 34 Strathmore Road, Horfield, Bristol BS7 9QJ, UK Phone & fax +44 (0)117 951 4755, mobile +44 (0)7968 947021 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and [EMAIL PROTECTED] and [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web www.iosis.org and www.euri.org
Nathan Herring wrote:
I�m a developer in the MacBU @ Microsoft working on integration issues of OS X into the Microsoft corporate network and security infrastructures. I have some questions, but I�ll try and split them up according to topic.
Our internal IT dept. is suggesting GemPCTwin USB and GemPC400 as current readers. Apparently, we have, at some time, also used GemPC430 and GemPC433-SL readers, though the MacBU has historically been exempted from this policy. There exists a GemPC430 driver for OS X on the musclecard.com website. Are there any current projects to address drivers for the other models?
Secondly, it seems that GemPlus has posted Linux drivers for the GemPCTwin. If there isn�t already some work being done on those drivers, can someone comment on the amount of difficulty in massaging the Linux drivers into Darwin drivers?
Thanks, Nathan Herring MacBU SDE/Development
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