Re: Models: preservation of user information

[Hallvard B Furuseth <h.b.furuseth@usit.uio.no>]

Kurt D. Zeilenga writes:
>At 10:26 AM 1/31/2003, Hallvard B Furuseth wrote:
>> Well, that has been shot down, but maybe this sentence in [Models] 6.1:
>> 
>>   Where such requirements have not be explicitly stated, servers SHOULD 
>>   preserve the value of user information but MAY return the value in a 
>>   different form. 
>> 
>> can be strengthened a little:  Append
>> 
>>   ..."provided that the implementation documents possible divergences."
> 
> Interoperability should not depend on the availability
> of documentation of implementations. 

Interoperability?  If an implementation modifies values without
documenting that, you have the same interoperability as without that
requirement.  You just don't have a standard-conforming implementation.
Or if you are thinking of X.500 gateways and things like that, where
it's hard to say just what values will be changed, the implementation
could just cop out by documenting that any values may change.

My point was just that if documentation is required, users who need
unchanged values for some particular attribute can at least know
if an implementation provides what they want.

Anyway, must rush.  Off to vacation.  For real, this time:-)

-- 
Hallvard