ietf-nntp Merging ARTICLE, HEAD, BODY, and STAT

[Stan O. Barber]

"Clive D.W. Feather" wrote:
> 
> Stan O. Barber said:
> >> The four commands have a lot of common functionality plus specific
> >> differences.
> 
> > Actually, the four commands have a simliar command set. The results returned by
> > each command is quite different.
> 
> No they aren't. The results returned are *identical* except:
> - the last digit of the 22x response;
> - which lines are returned following a 22x response;
> - 220, 221, and 222 are multiline responses whereas 223 isn't.

>From my perspective, it looks like that have some similiarities, but they are
not identical.


> 
> > Implementors can choose to exploit the
> > commonality and implement them using the same kind of code if they like.
> > However, that choice should NOT be driven by the standards document.
> 
> No. However, the behaviour of the commands IS REQUIRED TO BE IDENTICAL
> except for the points I mention. So I see no reason not to make this
> clear in the standards document.

I don't have a problem with this being clear in the document. I think our ideas
of what makes it clear are different. I think it is important that a document
reader can go to a section that describes a particular command and read that
section to get as much information about that command without having to read
other sections for extensive clarification.

The way that you have written it, an implementor must read about the ARTICLE
command to understand the way the STAT command works. I don't agree with this
approach.





-- 
Stan   | PGP Key ID: 55CB6421     | Opinions expressed are only mine.
Olan   | Phone: +1-713-793-0222   | Email: sob at academ.com
Barber | Fax:   +1-713-793-0221   | http://www.academ.com/~sob