[NNTP] [2508] LIST capability handling

Clive D.W. Feather clive at demon.net
Thu Dec 2 05:34:48 PST 2004


Russ Allbery said:
> Er, the client should look at the specification for that particular LIST
> command to figure out whether it takes a wildmat.  If we're not requiring
> a specification here in some form, I think we may be going down the wrong
> road.  If the client doesn't have access to a specification, it's going to
> have a lot more problems than just not knowing whether to include a
> wildmat, like having any clue whatsoever what the output is supposed to
> mean.

True. Ish.

Given that (currently - I know there's another thread) the only valid
argument to an arbitrary LIST keyword command is a wildmat, this struck me
as an "almost no pain, some gain" sort of thing.

Would anyone object violently to wording saying that future versions of
this specification, or extensions, may put non-alphanumeric suffixes on
the keywords in the LIST capability line? The purpose would be to give room
for future changes or improvements without having to go through a "client
says it's willing to receive this" loop. Note:
* Servers need to do nothing to conform to this.
* Clients need only make sure they won't barf if such a suffix appears;
  they can ignore it.

I'm trying to think ahead a little, that's all.

-- 
Clive D.W. Feather  | Work:  <clive at demon.net>   | Tel:    +44 20 8495 6138
Internet Expert     | Home:  <clive at davros.org>  | Fax:    +44 870 051 9937
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Thus plc            |                            |



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