Re: UUCP, etc., and SMTP/822/MIME mail (was: Re: I-D ACTION:draft-hoffman-utf8headers-00.txt)

[Charles Lindsey <chl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 10:59:29 +0100 (CET), Dan Oscarsson 
<Dan.Oscarsson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


> I prefer not to have a header, only negotiation before transfer of data.
> If a header is used (there is a problem with a header due to it have to
> be before all other headers to simplify message handling), the rules 
> should
> be the same as fpr SMTP negotiated UTF-8

You can make negotiation before transfer a REQUIREMENT of some extended 
SMTP, but SMTP is not the only mail transport protocol around, and you 
cannot impose such a blanket requirement on _every_ transport protocol, 
both existing and not yet invented.

That is why you need both the negotiation (for those protocols which you 
are in a position to specify) AND a header (for those you can't).

Those who write gateways between protocols will just have to do the Right 
Thing (yes, that may be hard to achieve, but gateways are going to exist 
whether you like it or not, and yes gateways may well be the weakest link 
in the chain - so what's new?)

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Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
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