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SHOULD vs MUST case sensitivity

Dave Crocker <dhc2@dcrocker.net> Fri, 27 June 2008 17:33 UTC

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Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:27:41 -0700
From: Dave Crocker <dhc2@dcrocker.net>
Organization: Brandenburg InternetWorking
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To: IETF Discussion <ietf@ietf.org>
Subject: SHOULD vs MUST case sensitivity
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Eric Gray wrote:
>> (By the way, I hope folks are clear that IETF use of these words as
> normative
>> does not depend upon the case that is used?)
> 
> This is NOT true.  These terms are explicitly defined in all capital letters
> to make it possible to distinguish when they are being used as normative and
> when they are not.


Sorry, no.  Please re-read rfc 2219.  Specifically:

      "These words are often capitalized."

The key word is "often" which means not always which means not required.

Computer science long ago made the mistake of imposing semantic difference on
case differences, which is distinct from other uses of case.  Absent explicit
specification of case sensitivity for the keywords, the rules of English writing
apply, I would think.


> In text that is not meant to be normative, the special terms should be
> avoided - even in lower case - but this can lead to exceptionally stilted use
> of the English language.

Not really.  Words like "can" and "ought" do the job nicely.

d/
-- 

   Dave Crocker
   Brandenburg InternetWorking
   bbiw.net
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