Re: [Json] Two Documents

[Carsten Bormann <[e-mail]>]

On Jun 19, 2013, at 17:37, "Pete Cordell" <[e-mail]> wrote:

> can't fix them with a one document strategy

It is still possible to have a section with behavior that the spec accepts as legacy but doesn't approve of.
Concentrate it into a section so the rest stays readable without a million exceptions.

Cf. the "BWS" (bad white space) in HTTPbis:

   BWS is used where the grammar allows optional whitespace, for
   historical reasons, but senders SHOULD NOT generate it in messages;
   recipients MUST accept such bad optional whitespace and remove it
   before interpreting the field value or forwarding the message
   downstream.

This is quite different from "best practices" in that it is a legacy-based addition to the accepted set, not a restriction of the accepted set based on some "best practices".

Not part of the desirable spec     Allowed by the desirable spec
                                |                 _______________
                                |                /
                                |                \
                               /|                /
                              / |                \    Best
                             /  |                /     Practices
                            /   |                \
                           /Barf|                /
                           \ bag|                \
                            \___|                 \
                                |                  \_____________
                                |

The main part of the normative spec would describe the vertical line.
That special section with legacy behavior we can't get rid of in the normative spec is marked "Barf bag" for brevity above.
The "best practices" are over in desired land, but way more restricted.

Grüße, Carsten