RE: [Ltru] Confusing conformance language

["Scott Hollenbeck" <sah at 428cobrajet.net>]

One of the reasons this gets confusing is because RFC 2119 is somewhat
unspecific on the topic.  It says this in the abstract:

"These words are often capitalized."

but it doesn't say anything about distinguishing the lower case forms from
the upper case forms.  In my mind, this leads to confusion when a document
mixes the two forms.  Is a "should" the same as a 2119 "SHOULD"?  *I* think
the intent is that they are to be interpreted in the same way, but I know
that others believe that protocol directives need to be capitalized.
They're certainly more obvious if capitalized.

I believe it best to use one form consistently, even if that means using
synonyms in places.

-Scott-

> -----Original Message-----
> From: McDonald, Ira [mailto:imcdonald at sharplabs.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 11:01 AM
> To: 'Addison Phillips'; Randy Presuhn; ltru at ietf.org
> Subject: RE: [Ltru] Confusing conformance language
> 
> Hi Addison,
> 
> Then I guess you have your AD's clear direction to content with.
> I see nothing wrong with word substitution to avoid lowercase
> must (almost never needed) or should (a mere convention to use
> this verb).
> 
> Cheers,
> - Ira
> 
> Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
> Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
> PO Box 221  Grand Marais, MI  49839
> phone: +1-906-494-2434
> email: imcdonald at sharplabs.com
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ltru-bounces at lists.ietf.org 
> > [mailto:ltru-bounces at lists.ietf.org]On
> > Behalf Of Addison Phillips
> > Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 9:42 AM
> > To: Randy Presuhn; ltru at ietf.org
> > Subject: RE: [Ltru] Confusing conformance language
> > 
> > 
> > Some of the changes to normative language turn out to be 
> > natural (we really meant to be normative). Other changes (to 
> > avoid using the lowercase) required either an extensive 
> > rewrite or the need for word substitution (silly).
> > 
> > Should and must were relatively easy. "May" is downright 
> > impossible, since that word can be used in more than one way...
> > 
> > Addison
> > 
> > Addison P. Phillips
> > Globalization Architect, Quest Software
> > Chair, W3C Internationalization Core Working Group
> > 
> > Internationalization is not a feature.
> > It is an architecture. 
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ltru-bounces at lists.ietf.org 
> > [mailto:ltru-bounces at lists.ietf.org] On
> > > Behalf Of Randy Presuhn
> > > Sent: 2005?6?8? 21:16
> > > To: ltru at ietf.org
> > > Subject: Re: [Ltru] Confusing conformance language
> > > 
> > > Hi -
> > > 
> > > > From: "McDonald, Ira" <imcdonald at sharplabs.com>
> > > > To: <ltru at ietf.org>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 8:41 AM
> > > > Subject: [Ltru] Confusing conformance language
> > > ...
> > > > Randy - do you have an opinion here?
> > > ...
> > > 
> > > In the spirit of "be liberal in what you accept", I don't mind a
> > > lowercase "should" or "must" when they would the most natural
> > > way of saying something.  After all, the whole point of writing
> > > the words as "SHOULD" and "MUST" is to distinguish them as
> > > having their special standards-speak meanings.
> > > 
> > > Having said that, I think that in keeping with the 
> > principle of being
> > > "conservative in what you send", it is good to avoid the 
> lower-case
> > > ones as much as is practical.
> > > 
> > > Since our AD has a preference, and the editors are willing, the
> > > choice is simple.  :-)
> > > 
> > > Randy
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Ltru mailing list
> > > Ltru at lists.ietf.org
> > > https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ltru
> > 
> > 
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> 
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