resolving ambiguity in rfc1759 (standard printer MIB)

Joel Gyllenskog <jgyllens@hpbs3125.boi.hp.com> Wed, 03 May 1995 15:35 UTC

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From: Joel Gyllenskog <jgyllens@hpbs3125.boi.hp.com>
Message-Id: <9505031535.AA22380@hpbs3125.boi.hp.com>
Subject: resolving ambiguity in rfc1759 (standard printer MIB)
To: dck2-iesg@mail.bellcore.com
Date: Wed, 03 May 1995 09:35:28 -0600
Cc: case@snmp.com, pmi@hpbs987.boi.hp.com, waldbusser@ins.com
Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85]

To:    Deirdre Kostick, IESG management area director
CC:    Jeff Case, who suggested that I contact you
       Steve Waldbusser, technical advisor to printer working group
       Members of the printer working group
From:  Joel Gyllenskog, chair of the printer working group 
Re:    Ambiguity in prtConsoleDisable object

Deirdre,

On March 21, 1995, the printer MIB was issued as rfc1759.  We tried to
produce a perfect document.  In the process of implementing the rfc,
another engineer and I disagreed on the meaning of object
prtConsoleDisable.  Below is the text taken from rfc1759 that is
the source of this disagreement.

rfc1759:  prtConsoleDisable OBJECT-TYPE
rfc1759:      SYNTAX     INTEGER {
rfc1759:                     enabled(3),
rfc1759:                     disabled(4)
rfc1759:                 }
rfc1759:      MAX-ACCESS read-write
rfc1759:      STATUS     current
rfc1759:      DESCRIPTION
rfc1759:          "This object enables or disables manual input from the
rfc1759:          operators console."
rfc1759:      ::= { prtGeneralEntry 13 }

When I became aware of this potential ambiguity I sought feedback from
the group as to their interpretation of the meaning of the values shown.
Sure enough, respondants were divided as to their interpretation of the
meaning of the value for the object.

Since the rfc was already issued, and since it took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to 
make that happen, I was in a quandry.  HP and other vendors are in the
process of producing products that will suport the printer MIB.  The
tyranny of product schedules is horrid.  Feeling that there wouldn't be
an opportunity to change anything in the rfc for at least 6 months, I
proposed to the working group that we agree what would happen when
"prtConsoleDisable" had a value of "enabled" and what would happen when
"prtConsoleDisable" had a value of "disabled".  This effort was 
reasonably successful.  

This morning I read mail from Jeff Case.  He suggested that we should
seek a speedy but official solution.  His understanding is that it would
be illegal for us to chanage the name from "prtConsoleDisable" to 
something like "prtConsoleInputStatus", and he quoted chapter and verse
from rfc1442 pp41ff.  I believe that he may have already sent you a copy
of that communication.  If not let me know and I'll be happy to send it
along.

Based on his message I am asking if it is possible for us to:

1.  Deprecate prtConsoleDisable by changing its status from "current" to
    "obsolete".
2.  Add an object named "prtConsoleInputStatus" which has an new OID
    but otherwise looks like the old "prtConsoleDisable" object.
3.  Republish the MIB.

Your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.  

Joel