Re: UUCP, etc., and SMTP/822/MIME mail (was: Re: I-D ACTION:draft-hoffman-utf8headers-00.txt)

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 10:59:29 +0100 (CET), Dan Oscarsson=20
<[email protected]> wrote:


> I prefer not to have a header, only negotiation before transfer of data.
> If a header is used (there is a problem with a header due to it have to
> be before all other headers to simplify message handling), the rules=20
> should
> be the same as fpr SMTP negotiated UTF-8

You can make negotiation before transfer a REQUIREMENT of some extended=20
SMTP, but SMTP is not the only mail transport protocol around, and you=20
cannot impose such a blanket requirement on _every_ transport protocol,=20
both existing and not yet invented.

That is why you need both the negotiation (for those protocols which you=20
are in a position to specify) AND a header (for those you can't).

Those who write gateways between protocols will just have to do the Right=
=20
Thing (yes, that may be hard to achieve, but gateways are going to exist=20
whether you like it or not, and yes gateways may well be the weakest link=
=20
in the chain - so what's new?)

--=20
Charles=A0H.=A0Lindsey=A0---------At=A0Home,=A0doing=A0my=A0own=A0thing--=
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