ietf-nntp Time

[Clive D.W. Feather]

Charles Lindsey said:
> >    X.X Time
> 
> >    As described in section 9.1, each article has an arrival timestamp.
> >    Each newsgroup also has a creation timestamp. These timestamps are
> >    used by the NEWNEWS and NEWGROUP commands to construct their reponses.
> 
> >    The DATE command MUST return the same timestamp as is used for
> >    determining article arrival and group creation times. This clock
> >    SHOULD be monotonic, and adjustments SHOULD be made by running it
> >    fast or slow compared to "real" time.
> 
> The first sentence could form a suitable "modest extension". But the
> second is none of our business. It should not be part of this standard to
> tell implementors of operating systems how to conduct themselves. (nd in
> fact adjusting the time suddenly is actually safe in one of the
> directions).

If you mean to delete the sentence "This clock ...", I could live with
that. I think it's good practice for news server operators, and I think it
should be at least expressed in that manner, but I do understand your
point.

>>    In order to allow for minor errors, clients MAY want to adjust the
>>    timestamp back by two or three minutes before using it in NEWNEWS.
> 
> That is a sensible precaution, and covers all that is needed. If a
> server gets its DATE response and its history file creation out of sync
> by more than a minute, it is probably in such serious trouble that
> everything it does is suspect. Remember that absolute correctness of the
> time is irrelevant.

Can I confirm what I think you're saying: you're happy with my text apart
from that one sentence ?

-- 
Clive D.W. Feather  | Work:  <clive at demon.net>   | Tel:  +44 20 8371 1138
Internet Expert     | Home:  <clive at davros.org>  | Fax:  +44 20 8371 1037
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