Date   : Wed, 08 Aug 2001 14:08:20 +0100
From   : jgh@... (Jonathan Graham Harston)
Subject: Re: etiquette, quoting and stuff

Andrew Chesterton <achester@...> wrote:
> >It's truly amazing that people will refer to etiquette and then suggest
> >something not in there or the complete opposite. FYI, from rfc 1855:
> The paper that you have quoted is a 'Request for Comment' NOT a 'Standard',
> therefore it is up to the individual programmer (in the case of email
> software) or the user whether
> they choose to adopt it or not.
 
RFC *ARE* Standards.
 
Oo, look, this RFC says that an IP packet should have bytes in this order
and with this meaning.  Hmm, as an individual programmer I'll decide not
to adopt that "suggestion" and do something else.  Oh look, it doesn't
work.  Obviously, the rest of the world is doing something wrong.
 
RFCs ARE STANDARDS!  Read the F*ing RFCs!
 
To paraphrase the introduction to the RFCs:
 
"The Request For Comments documents are a call for discussion on the
proposed standards and definitions described in them.  After a time the
discussion is closed and the Request For Comments document becomes the
defined standard that must be adhered to."
 
Haven't you ever wondered why RFCs include words such as MUST, MAY,
SHOULD, etc.?  Or maybe you've just never read the RFCs.
 
-- 
J.G.Harston (JGH BBC PD Library) 70 Camm Street, Walkley, SHEFFIELD S6 3TR
jgh@...                - Running on BBCs & Masters with SJ MDFS FileServer
Z80+6502/CoPro+Tubes/Econet+SJ - - - - - - - http://www.mdfs.net/User/JGH/
 Never, ever, EVER, *EVER*, *E*V*E*R* use an apostrophe to make a plural