Confusing text in sha512t24u description

[jmarshall]

The opening paragraph of the Truncated Digest (sha512t24u) section says:

The sha512t24u truncated digest algorithm [Hart2020] computes an ASCII digest from binary data. The method uses two well-established standard algorithms, the SHA-512 hash function, which generates a binary digest from binary data, and Base64 URL encoding, which encodes binary data using printable characters. [Emphasis added]

This is confusingly written, as “URL encoding” refers to percent encoding of URLs, which is a different encoding unrelated to the base64 variant used here.

It would be better to use the RFC 4648 terminology for this encoding: either “…and Base64 URL/Filename-Safe encoding, which encodes binary data…” or “…and base64url encoding, which…” (as is used in step 3 later in the section).

[ahwagner]

I agree, this would be a good change. Of these options, my preference would be for base64url for consistency and brevity.

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue was marked stale due to inactivity.