Pierre Cros improvements

docs/lasso-book/common-knowledge.rst

@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ Lasso Projects Basics
 
 Lasso functions are defined in several header files typically located in
 ``/usr/include/lasso/`` or ``/usr/local/include/lasso/``.  It is possible to
-include individual files but in most case it is enough to include the main
-``lasso.h``.
+include individual files even if the main lasso.h is sufficient most often.
 
 The first thing to do is then to call ``lasso_init()``.  Similarly the last
 thing will be to call ``lasso_shutdown()``.  The smallest and useless Lasso
@@ -41,6 +40,9 @@ compilation and linking.
  -lpthread -lz -lm -lglib-2.0
 
 
+Creating an executable from the previous sample *will then be* a simple
+matter of calling gcc with the right flags
+
 Creating an executable from the previous sample would then a simple matter of
 calling ``gcc`` with the right flags.  But there is currently in bug in
 XMLSec, the library used by Lasso to provide XML Signature and XML Encryption
@@ -82,14 +84,14 @@ A ``LassoServer`` object may be created as follows:
 - ``idp-metadata.xml`` is the Liberty metadata file for the identity provider
 - ``sp-private-key.pem`` is the service provider private key; used to sign
   documents
-- ``sp-crt.pem`` is the service provider certificate; sent inside signed
+- ``sp-crt.pem`` is the service provider certificate; sent within signed
   documents
 - ``idp-public-key.pem`` is the identity provider public key; used to verify
   signature in documents sent by the identity provider
 - ``ca-crt.pem`` is the certificate of the certification authority used by the
   identity provider.
 
-It is of course possible to have several calls so ``lasso_server_add_provider``
+It is of course possible to have several calls to ``lasso_server_add_provider``
 if there are more than one identity provider.
 
 LassoProfile
@@ -149,10 +151,10 @@ serialized into XML files.  Example with a ``LassoServer``::
   g_free(dump);
 
 .. note:: ``lasso_server_dump`` (and other Lasso dump functions) allocates
-          memory through GLib.  ``g_free`` is then the function to use instead
+          memory through GLib.  ``g_free`` is the function to use instead
 	  of ``free`` to release memory.
 
-It is then really easy to get back properly constructed objects::
+It is then really easy to have properly constructed objects returned::
 
   LassoServer *server;
   gchar *dump;

docs/lasso-book/liberty-architecture.rst

@@ -15,7 +15,26 @@ detailed and implemented in the next chapters.
 Single Sign-On and Federation
 =============================
 
-A few paragraphs; what does single sign-on and federation really mean...
+The Single Sign On process allows a user to log in once to an identity provider
+(IdP), and to be then transparently loged in to the required service providers
+(SP) belonging to the IP "circle of trust".  Subordinating different identities
+of the same user within a circle of trust to a unique IP is called "Identity
+Federation".  The liberty Alliance specifications allows, thanks to this
+federation, strong and unique authentication coupled with control by the user
+of his personnal informations. The explicit user agreement is necessary before
+proceeding to Identity Federation.
+
+The different SPs can't communicate directly together about users informations.
+They're only able to exchange informations about a user with the IP. This
+assure :
+
+- private life respect;
+- increased security (an unveiled identity for one of the SPs won't
+  endanger the others).
+
+To insure the integrity and the non-revocability of the exchange, a trusted
+third part releases a security token which identify only the session and not
+the user.
 
 
 Artifact Profile

docs/lasso-book/preface.rst

@@ -2,23 +2,44 @@
 Preface
 =======
 
-In a digitalized world where both businesses and consumers want security in
-their transactions and other blah blah.
+In a digitalised world where both businesses and consumers want security in
+their transactions the notion of identity has become more and more crucial.
+Today one's identity on the network is fragmented across various identity
+providers, employers, business services and other communities.  This
+fragmentation leads to partial and often unsatisfying customers-to-business
+relationships.
+
+A Federated Network Identity allows new business opportunites and new economies
+of scale. In a world of federated commerce a user's identity, preferences,
+buying habits and history, are managed by the user himself and securely
+exchanged with the organisations of the user's choosing.
 
 
 The Liberty Alliance Project
 ============================
 
-Initiated by Sun Microsystems in 2001 with the aim to develop an alternative to
-Microsoft Passport system the Liberty Alliance project is now a worldwide
-consortium with more than 150 companies, goverments and non-profits.
+The Liberty Alliance Project was formed in September 2001 to develop
+open standards for federated network identity management and
+identity-based services. Its goals are to ensure interoperability,
+support privacy, and promote adoption of its specifications, guidelines
+and best practices. The Alliance is made up of more than 150 members,
+representing a worldwide cross-section of organizations ranging from
+educational institutions and government organizations, to service
+providers and financial institutions, to technology vendors and wireless
+providers.
 
 
 The Lasso Project
 =================
 
-In July 2003...  the CVQ project...  Cross-site authentication...  Further
-developments...
+In July 2003 Entr'ouvert started to develop the "Carte de Vie Quotidienne"
+project for the commune of Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy. This project quickly drove us
+to take interest in cross-site authentication problems. We identified Liberty
+Alliance specifications as the only ones potentially able to satisfy our need
+for a strong authentication, coupled with private life respect. Lasso is a
+library written in C which means it can be easily integrated within any kind of
+web service whenever a strong authentication is required. Lasso has been the
+first implementation of Liberty Alliance released under the GNU GPL license.
 
 
 Acknowledgments

docs/lasso-book/writing-a-c-sp.txt

@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ login URL; the service provider must then respond with an HTTP 302 Redirect
 response, pointing the user browser to the identity provider single sign on
 service.
 
-.. note:: the login URL is not normative; any name will go.
+.. note:: the login URL is not normative; any name will do.
 
 
 ``server`` is a ``LassoServer`` as seen earlier and ``idpProviderId`` is a
@@ -252,10 +252,9 @@ object.
   lasso_login_accept_sso(login);
 
 After ``lasso_login_accept_sso`` the session and the identity are updated (or
-created) and should then be saved.  If the identity was not known to the
-service provider an account will most probably need to be created on the
-service provider; this is a good opportunity to ask the user for more
-information.
+created) and should then be saved.  If the identity has not regnogized by the
+service provider an account will probably have to be created on the service
+provider; this is a good opportunity to ask the user for more information.
 
 You can get respective dumps like this::
 
@@ -345,7 +344,7 @@ Database Considerations
 =======================
 
 Lasso has been designed to let the service provider keep on using existing
-databases.  Typically there is already a table describing users; just add a
+databases.  Typically there is already a table describing users; just add an
 identity dump column to the existing table:
 
 =======    ========================================    ==============