Technical Question: SSLSocket Class versus SSLSocketImpl Class

Jack Donn (Jack.Donn@digital.com)
Tue, 2 Jun 1998 20:53:41 -0400

From: Jack Donn <Jack.Donn@digital.com>
To: "'java-security@java.sun.com'" <java-security@web2.javasoft.com>
Subject: Technical Question: SSLSocket Class versus SSLSocketImpl Class
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 1998 20:53:41 -0400

I am new to the java.net package and have downloaded your ssl api. I have
been looking at the jdk1.1 documentation on SocketImpl, the static
setSocketImplFactory method of Socket and the corresponding static method
for ServerSocket.

At first glance it would appear that the intent for a specialized socket
implementation such as SSL socket would be:

- create SSLSocketImpl Class ( rather than the SSLSocket Class)
- create SSL SocketFactory with createSocketImpl() yielding new
SSLSocketImpl() instance
- Socket.set SocketImplFactory(..result of create above..)
- then do normal new ServerSocket() and new Socket()

Clearly this isn't the way the api classes are built (and I am sure for good
but not apparent to the novice reasons). I would greatly appreciate a
deeper understanding of the reasons.

Sincerely, Jack Donn

===============================
Jack J.Donn
Diagnosis Tools Engineering Group
Product Service Engineering
719-592-5112 - DTN 592-5112
jack.donn@digital.com
<<...>> Digital Equipment Corporation