From: Bruce Lilly (blilly@erols.com)
Date: Wed May 21 2003 - 13:16:09 CDT
Pete Resnick wrote:
>> If it's an absolute requirement for non-whitespace content on the
>> first field line, then a field w/o non-whitespace content on the first
>> line will never arise
>
>
> Please re-read the above and tell me how it makes any sense, especially
> in light of a MUST generate syntax in 2822 that differs significantly
> from a MUST accept.
In this instance we're talking about MUST NOT generate and SHOULD accept.
Charles says that 1036 already requires the non-whitespace content on
the first line (so there are no legacy generators). If a field without
non-whitespace content on the first line has never been generated and
is prohibited from being generated, it doesn't make much sense to strongly
recommend that parsers be able to parse it. Other than on the mail side
of mail-to-news gateways, which obviously need to be able to support the
full 822/2822 syntax on the mail side.
That's entirely different from 2822, where there exist legacy messages
and message generators supporting extended syntax (822 and even earlier
versions of the message format).