Re: [idn] Debunking the ACE myth

["Eric A. Hall" <ehall@ehsco.com>]

> So, once again, if you want rapid
> deployment, pick a solution that leaves the upgrading in the
> hands of those who need the functionality --the users in this
> case-- rather than entertaining fantasies about what ISPs and
> other server operators will do.

I am getting very frustrated over these specious claims. Sorry if it comes
out harsh. Let's think this through though, please.

1) We have the owners and operators of IDNS. They will want to
   upgrade their servers to get the full benefits of an UTF-8
   IDN approach. The only operators who are not likely to
   upgrade immediately are speculators; they won't be getting
   much traffic anyway.

2) We have the corporate user community. They will want to
   upgrade sooner or later, as business dictates. For those
   orgs who maintain an international presence, this will be
   sooner rather than later. For those orgs who are purely
   local, and who never ever do anything in any international
   market, later will be fine (ACE will work for the 1% of
   domain names which are IDN). Not a problem.

3) We have the *international* end-user community and their
   ISPs. What ISPs in any foreign market is going to insist
   that their end-users must continue using ASCII??????????

4) We have domestic ISPs. See #2 above. Some of these will
   be upgrading sooner than others. For the lazy xenophobes
   who think the rest of the world should just learn English,
   they may never upgrade. Chances are they aren't upgrading
   much of anything else, either. They will continue using
   ACE, until they have no customers left.

If we use absurd numbers and give each of those camps 25% share, then we
are looking at 75% cache upgrades. More importantly, we are looking at
100% penetration in the markets which are affected by the technology.

Who gives a fsck if the lazy xenophobes in the other 25% don't upgrade?
They aren't involved with international markets anyway.

Also keep in mind that once the application protocols start to embrace
UTF-8 IDNs, that the bar will raise further.

It would also be a good thing for the Internet for such an upgrade to be
required. Note that it isn't really required -- lazy xenophobes can
continue to use ACE -- but that it is required for maximum efficiency and
also likely to be required for future protocols.

Upgrading the servers is not a preventative issue. Please, let's drop 
this FUD and move on.

-- 
Eric A. Hall                                        http://www.ehsco.com/
Internet Core Protocols          http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/coreprot/