RE: TimeFilter edits

Hi,

I am reporting confusion that I have run into when responding to
questions from implementors, as MIB Doctor for the IEEE.
The text is written in a way that permits it to be interpreted this
way, even though the interprtation is incorrect.
My request is that the text be made unambiguous for non-SNMP-experts.

David Harrington
[email protected]


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andy Bierman [mailto:[email protected]] 
> Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 5:47 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Cc: 'Randy Presuhn'; [email protected]
> Subject: RE: [RMONMIB] TimeFilter edits
> 
> At 02:21 PM 1/21/2005, David B Harrington wrote:
> > 
> >
> >> If a column is deleted but not the whole row, then that will
> >> cause the lastChangeTime for the row to be updated.  There is
> >> nothing special about TimeFilter and deleted rows.  Agents 
> >> never download deleted rows, so I don't see why the text
> >> is confusing.  
> >
> >Well the current text apparently **is** confusing. 
> >The issue has been raised in the IEEE, and as I try to interpret
the
> >text for them, I understand why they find it confusing. 
> >Your spec says that a deleted row is considered a changed row, and
> >changed rows can be downloaded.
> 
> I disagree with this interpretation of the text.
> This is a theoretical issue.  You cannot download
> rows that don't exist -- TimeFilter or not.  Users
> should not think TimeFilter causes rows to be preserved
> after they are deleted.  
> 
> Andy
> 
> 
> >> 
> >> NEW (v2):
> >> 
> >>         "To be used for the index to a table.  Allows an 
> application
> >>         to download only those rows changed since a 
> particular time.
> >>         A row is considered changed if the value of any object in
> >the
> >>         row changes or if the row (or any object in the row) 
> >> is created
> >>         or deleted."
> >> 
> >
> >Let's walk through your proposed text backwards to see the
syllogism.
> >Premise 1:
> >        "if the row ... is created or deleted"
> >        then the "row is considered changed"
> >
> >Premise 2:
> >        if "rows changed since a particular time"
> >        then application allowed "to download ... those rows"
> >
> >Therefore 
> >        if "row is deleted"
> >        application is allowed to download the row
> >
> >This is incorrect; as you say above "Agents never download deleted
> >rows"
> >But your text says the opposite! 
> >
> >dbh
>