>>>>> "Keith" == Keith Moore <mo...@network-heretics.com> writes:
    >> In my view, SHOULD are user protocol options to set.

    Keith> In my view, SHOULD should rarely be used for optional
    Keith> protocol features, because optional protocol features should
    Keith> themselves be rare.  And the primary purpose of SHOULD is not
    Keith> to permit optional protocol features.

Let me give an example of where I think SHOULD is useful:
    a TLS end-point SHOULD verify the received certificate against
    a trusted anchor.

Removing this requirement in SMTP-TLS has meant that we now have
opportunistically encrypted email transmission.  It makes sense for the
TLS library to have this option.   

In a web browser, the same SHOULD is much more controversial.

Some TLS libraries have this as a MUST, and there is all sorts of
trouble for people implementing other protocols or authentication
mechanisms over TLS.

-- 
]       He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life!           |  firewalls  [
]   Michael Richardson, Sandelman Software Works, Ottawa, ON    |net architect[
] m...@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/ |device driver[
   Kyoto Plus: watch the video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzx1ycLXQSE>
                       then sign the petition. 
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