Re: de-facto 8 bit SMTP

[Nathaniel Borenstein <nsb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Excerpts from internet.ietf-smtp: 22-Feb-91 de-facto 8 bit SMTP Robert
Ullmann@relay.pri (3352)

> I also want to mention that I have a different viewpoint on how long it
> takes to get s/w upgraded. Several people here lament that it takes
> forever, or is essentially impossible, to get some offending system
> fixed.

> I work with commercial customers, in the Real World (TM) (:-), where a
> version upgrade can be done overnight, and is sometimes done in minutes.
(in general, the faster it is done, the happier the customer) 

On the other hand, I know people (typically charities) who run their own
UNIX machines on obsolete hardware that was donated to them or sold REAL
CHEAP, and that doesn't run any version of UNIX more recent than AT&T
System Three.  They're happily running SMTP (at least in some cases) --
care to speculate on how quickly they'll see an 8 bit version?  Any idea
who's going to implement and support 8 bit SMTP for System Three? 
They're essentially living without support now, but they survive because
their software is stable and not too buggy.  And that's just one
example.  

I think that living within the confines of a single, relatively modern
computer company, you've got a pleasantly warped view of what you're
really up against when you change a protocol.  -- Nathaniel