Re: Need the quote and the author

Edward M Greshko <Edward.M.Greshko@cdc.com> Thu, 17 July 1997 03:03 UTC

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From: Edward M Greshko <Edward.M.Greshko@cdc.com>
To: John C Klensin <klensin@mci.net>
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Subject: Re: Need the quote and the author
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On Sun, 13 Jul 1997, John C Klensin wrote:

> As Tim Goodwin pointed out, the first written form of the 
> comment (that I know of) is in RFC 1123.   The quote itself 
> is due to Jon Postel, a _lot_ earlier -- it has been 
> floating around since the early 80s or earlier.

Thanks.  I did find Jon's original musing on the subject.

> As Tim suggests, you need to be quite careful about the 
> quotation and its applicability.  It was intended, more or 
> less, as a "smoothing principle:  Traditionally, we don't 
> do precise specifications for Internet protocols, 
> especially at the applications level.  Instead, we have 
> tried to make things easier to write and understand with 
> less-than-precise syntax rules, a certain amount of 
> handwaving about semantics, general assumptions about 
> goodwill, etc.   That is typically ok, if there is some 
> rule about how to handle all of the ambiguities.  The 
> robustness principle was, more or less, intended to cover 
> those cases, i.e., if it was possible to read a particular 
> provision in different ways, the sender was expected to 
> read it in the narrowest way feasible while the receiver 
> was expected to give it the most relaxed and broad reading 
> that was feasible.   I.e., senders are required to read and 
> follow the specs closely; receivers are to anticipate 
> senders who don't.   Virtually every time one looks at a 
> terrible implementation of an Internet protocol that seems 
> to work anyway, the underlying cause is proper behavior 
> using the robustness principle.
> 
> The problem is that it has been used to justify incredible 
> nonsense, including software authors who have taken the 
> position that receivers are obligated to accept any 
> foolishness that is thrown at them (and therefore the 
> sender is permitted to send such foolishness).  That was 
> never the intent, and some of us have argued in a number of 
> specific cases for dropping the robustness principle in 
> favor of a "if bad stuff comes in, bounce it" model, just 
> on the grounds of cleaning up/ preserving the 
> infrastructure.

Your points, and Tim's, are very well taken as I can certainly see how a
general statment like that can be taken to the *extreme*.

  
-- 
Edward M. Greshko                  Technical Manager, Electronic Commerce
                                   Control Data Asia/Pacific Region
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