From: Bruce Lilly (blilly@erols.com)
Date: Sun Jun 08 2003 - 16:35:01 CDT
Charles Lindsey wrote:
> The point is that we have two protocols using broadly the same format.
A correction (it would ordinarily be a minor correction, but it appears
to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation on your part, which
has clouded your thinking): there are *multiple* protocols using the same
message format. Voice messaging, fax, EDI among them.
> But
> for various technical, historical and other reasons some differences have
> crept it, and it would be helpful if these differences could be phased
> out.
Agreed.
> Now will someone please explain to me just why it is always assumed that,
> when one of these differences comes to be resolved, it is always Netnews
> that is expected to change and never Email?
That *isn't* the assumption. The reasonable assumption is that when
resolving a difference where *one* of the many protocols differs
from *all* of the others, it is likely that the best resolution of
the discrepancy involves changing the odd man out.
And as far as this WG is concerned, we are only able to change
news and not email, voice messaging, fax, EDI, etc. Attempts by this
WG or its members to change every other application of the common
message format because of some quirk of some ancient implementation
is like Don Quixote tilting at windmills.
So where the news article format differs from the common message
format used by the many other messaging applications and protocols,
and there is discussion here about resolving the difference, naturally
that will revolve around changing the article format to bring it line
with the other applications -- because that is likely to be the most
expeditious means of resolving the difference and because it is the
only way this WG has the authority to resolve the difference.