Re: [idn] time to move

[Dave Crocker <dhc@dcrocker.net>]

At 03:09 PM 5/22/2001, D. J. Bernstein wrote:
> > > How exactly are we supposed to respond to this poll?
> > Why are you asking such a question after you already sent in your own
> > response?
>
>The only choices provided were ``agree with retaining the IDNA technical
>approach'' and ``disagree with pursuing IDNA and, instead, feel that an
>alternative approach should be pursued.''
>
>The poll didn't provide any way to say ``evaluate the options carefully;
>this is a major decision; moving right now is premature.''

You prompt a number of interesting points.

One is that it is remarkable how anyone can fail to see the urgency in this 
situation.  It takes really quite an unusual effort to miss the import of 
the current situation and the scope of pressure being applied to resolve it 
quickly.

The second is how productive it would be to have every participant demand 
exactly the precise wording for the questionnaire that they want.  It does 
wonders to survey research validity.  (The ability to cope with inadequate 
choice is a rather interesting personality characteristic that psych types 
like to measure.  It pertains to maturity.)


> > Your making such an assertion suggests that you have already done such a
> > survey, unbeknownst to the rest of the working group.
>
>I'm paying attention to the messages on the mailing list. Are you?

Of course not, Dan.  Why bother, when all I need to do is read your 
messages to find out the One True Truth.

For example, think how remarkable it is that you are so clear on the sense 
of the mailing list.  Why bother to take a straw poll?

And what will it mean if the rough consensus from the poll differs from 
your own, flawless assessment of the group?


> > > We find
> > > it worrisome that the centerpiece of the IDNA ``design philosophy'' is a
> > > statement about DNS servers that has turned out to be completely wrong.
> > What statement is that?
>
>``To date, the proposals for IDN protocols have required that DNS
>servers be updated to handle internationalized host names.''

Well, let's see:

1.  It is certainly true that typical approaches to the problem have 
required changes to the servers

2.  It does not matter whether that assessment is correct.  The center 
piece to the design philosophy is that it requires no change to server 
protocol engines or data base modules; it does not matter whether other 
proposals have that characteristic or not.

d/

----------
Dave Crocker   <mailto:dcrocker@brandenburg.com>
Brandenburg InternetWorking   <http://www.brandenburg.com>
tel: +1.408.246.8253;   fax: +1.408.273.6464