Conformance to RFC2119 means that the word OPTIONAL (or optional) means
that an implementer does not have to provide that which is stated as
optional. We don't want to confuse anyone into thinking that non-required
elements or attributes do not have to be provided by implementers. Don't
assume that implementers will catch on. The words in a specification have
to be precise.
Regards,
Marty
*************************************************************************************
Martin W. Sachs
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center
P. O. B. 704
Yorktown Hts, NY 10598
914-784-7287; IBM tie line 863-7287
Notes address: Martin W Sachs/Watson/IBM
Internet address: mwsachs @ us.ibm.com
*************************************************************************************
David Fischer <david@drummondgroup.com> on 02/12/2002 05:36:53 PM
To: Doug Bunting <dougb62@yahoo.com>, ebXML
<ebxml-msg@lists.oasis-open.org>
cc:
Subject: RE: [ebxml-msg] Issue 15: Use of the word OPTIONAL
I'm still not sure why it is not either definition and why this is not
allowed?
Section 1.1.1 says
"An implementation which does not include a particular option MUST be
prepared
to interoperate with another implementation which does include the option,
though perhaps with reduced functionality."
Our spec simply defines *reduced functionality* as an Error of
NotSupported.
I'm not sure why this change is needed?
We need to limit out discussions to essential changes.
Regards,
David