From: Charles Lindsey (chl@clw.cs.man.ac.uk)
Date: Fri Jun 01 2001 - 06:59:47 CDT
In <989450d49a3bd9265014e626c06b6940@peteralf.sewer.output> Peter Alfredsen <peteralf@fabel.dk> writes:
>Agreed. So the proposed wording is now:
>6.12. Archive
> This optional header provides an indication of the poster's wishes
> regarding preservation of the article in publicly accessible archiving
> agents. This MUST be indicated with either "yes or "no". The default
> value, if the header is not present, can be assumed to be "yes".
Yes, but you don't use MUST wording to repeat what is already in the
syntax. You give the syntax first, and then explain what is is supposed to
mean.
Also, you are still using the word "archiving agent" without giving a
definition. I think if we are to go your route, then it would be better to
use Bill's "permanent or long-term storage", and there were some words
from Russ regarding "long after it could be considered to be current".
> Archive-content = [CFWS] ("no" | "yes" ) [CFWS]
You have omitted the filename parameter, which people seemed mostly happy
with.
>
> NOTE: There is no way to assure that articles posted to USENET are
^^^^^^
ensure
> actually not archived, because of the distributed nature of USENET.
^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
never {I don't see that those words add anything}
> It is unwise to assume that merely marking an article with
> "Archive: no" will reliably prevent it from being made available
^^^^^^^^
necessarily
> in a long-lived public form; indicating your wishes does not
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
{I don't see that those words add anything}
> guarantee that they will be respected.
So, putting the various pieces together, here is what I now have:
0.1. Archive
[original wording]
This optional header is a signal to automatic archival agents on
whether this article is available for long-term storage.
[new version]
This optional header provides an indication of the poster's wishes
regarding preservation of the article in publicly accessible
permanent or long-term storage long after it could be considered to
be current.
Archive-content = [CFWS] ("no" | "yes" ) [CFWS]
Archive-header-parameter
= Filename-token "=" value
; for USENET-header-parameters see 4.1
Filename-token = [CFWS] "filename" [CFWS]
The presence of an "Archive: no" header in an article indicates the
poster's wish for long-term or permanent copies not to be kept in
publicly accessible archives. "Archive: yes" merely confirms what is
already the default state, namely that the poster is willing for such
archiving to take place. The optional Filename parameter MAY then be
used to suggest a filename under which the article should be
archived. Further extensions to this standard may provide additional
parameters for administration of the archiving process.
[or maybe, instead of "indicates the poster's wish", "indicates that the
poster does not give permission for long term or permanent storage in
publicly accessible ..."]
[Mention dangers of filename in the Security section.]
NOTE: This standard does not attempt to define the length of
"long-term", since it is dependent on many factors, including
the retention policies of individual sites, and the customs or
policies established for particular newsgroup or hierarchies.
NOTE: There is no way to ensure that articles posted to USENET
are never archived, and it is unwise to assume that merely
marking an article with "Archive: no" will necessarily prevent
it from being made available in a long-lived public form.
Moreover, even if this header prevents the porster's words from
being archived publicly, it does nothing to prevent the
archiving of a followup in which those words are quoted.
[existing text]
Agents which see "Archive: no" SHOULD NOT keep the article past the
date when it would otherwise have expired. "Archive: yes" merely
confirms what is already the default state. The optional Filename
parameter MAY then be used to suggest a filename under which the
article should be archived. Further extensions to this standard may
provide additional parameters for administration of the archiving
process.
[Mention dangers of filename in the Security section.]
NOTE: Although this header may give a poster the opportunity to
indicate that he does not wish his words to be archived
publicly, it does nothing to prevent the archiving of a followup
in which those words are quoted.
-- Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------ Tel: +44 161 436 6131 Fax: +44 161 436 6133 Web: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl Email: chl@clw.cs.man.ac.uk Snail: 5 Clerewood Ave, CHEADLE, SK8 3JU, U.K. PGP: 2C15F1A9 Fingerprint: 73 6D C2 51 93 A0 01 E7 65 E8 64 7E 14 A4 AB A5