[Manet-dt] RE: [manet] Expanded tlv type field for packetbb?

> There has been some discussion among the authors of packetbb on the
merits
> of adding an optional extended TLV type field

I judge modifications to packetbb (and other protocols here)on four main
axes:

- Extensibility
- Simplicity
- Efficiency
- Timeliness

On these four axes, this proposal is aimed at increasing extensibility,
and Justin has a reasoned argument for it. I'm not completely sold on
that we will need more TLVs than we can afford out of the general space
(proprietary extensions can use the 128+ space) but neither can I be
sure
they won't be needed. This is a cost on the simplicity axis; not a lot
in the ID (I wrote the changes Justin quotes - he's omitted a couple of
details I found as not essential to this discussion) but some in code.
This is a potential issue for those who are considering formal testing.
On efficiency it's neutral, or actually arguably a gain as some possible
alternatives if you do run out of TLV types are inefficient. But the
key one to my mind is timeliness. packetbb is on the critical path of
all the WG protocols, and it is not just due, but overdue, to get it to
the IESG. If the consensus is "do this, just this, get it out" that's
tolerable. If it opens the gates to people wanting all sorts of other
things added/changed (apart, of course, from editorial matters - and
we've also taken on board splitting message header options) then we
as a WG (and the active packetbb authors in particular) really can't
afford this. I'd rather go without this than introduce further such
delay.

(I - not uniquely, but unlike most people here - would also have to
change my packetbb software. I haven't made this an issue above, but
it is an issue for me, mostly about testing, even though mine isn't
formal.)

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