RE: Problem with use of NotUnderstood in negotiations

[Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@wasabisystems.com>]

On Sat, 10 Aug 2002, Bill Studenmund wrote:

> ***
> Any key not understood by the acceptor may be ignored by the acceptor
> without affecting the basic function. However, unless the value for the
> key was "NotUnderstood", the answer for a key not understood MUST be
> key=NotUnderstood. The value "NotUnderstood" for a key not understood MUST
> be considered a protocol violation.
> ***

New text. The point is to let us out of the MUST answer when we have what
looks like a protocol negotiation error.

***

Any key not understood by the acceptor may be ignored by the acceptor
without affecting the basic function. If the offered value consists of one
of the reserved constants "Reject", "Irrelevant", or "NotUnderstood", the
offer MUST be considered a protocol error and the acceptor SHOULD respond
as if the same constant had been offered for a known key. Otherwise, the
answer for a key not understood MUST be key=NotUnderstood.

***

This way we get out of the MUST that we don't really want to obey, and
those three constants give a protocol error either way you look at things.

Take care,

Bill