Re: [http-state] Minor things concerning draft-ietf-httpstate-cookie-01

[Georg Koppen <[e-mail]>]

Hello again,

>> 5) Section 5 says that there are some algorithms specified for some
>> tasks concerning the cookie protocol but the user agents do not have to
>> follow these ("user agents are free to implement the cookie
>> protocol..."). But, for instance in Section 5.1.1., there it says "The
>> user agent MUST use the following algorithm..." Thus, am I free to
>> implement it differently or not? It's a bit confusing...
> 
> The operative requirement is:
> 
>       <t>Although some parts of the cookie protocol are specified
>       algorithmically, user agents are free to implement the cookie protocol
>       in any manner as long as their resultant behavior is "black-box"
>       indistinguishable from a user agent that implements the protocol as
>       described.</t>
> 
> Is there some way we can be clearer that user agents are free to
> implement the protocol however they like?  

Why MUST the user use these algorithms? Wouldn't it be enough if the
user MAY use them? I mean, they are free to implement the protocol
however they want to do it, provided they come to the same results.

Georg