Re: Clipboard handling (was: Re: [idn] Debunking the ACE myth)

[Keith Moore <moore@cs.utk.edu>]

> The DNS protocol has lot's of bells and whistles that could be
> used to distinguish utf-8 and ace. Clipboard protocols do have
> some bells and whistles that could be used to distinguish utf-8
> and ace.
> 
> The DNS doesn't currently have a protocol to distinguish utf-8
> and ace. Clipboards currently don't have a protocol to distinguish
> utf-8 and ace.

Either of these could be true; both could be misleading.
The devil is in the details.  

Can you make a DNS extension that distinguishes between utf-8 and 
ace which provides consistent results between utf-8 and ace, doesn't 
significantly delay either type of query, and doesn't require 
upgrades to intermediaries before it works?  Maybe, but we're still 
waiting for an existence proof.

For some particular OS or GUI environment, can you define a clipboard
interface such that non-IDN-aware applications  get the ACE form
of a domain name and IDN-aware applications get a native form of that
domain name, for arbitrary text that is copied into the clipboard
(not just domain names by themselves, but email addresses, URIs, 
and anything else that uses domain names)   Maybe, but I have my
doubts. 

(Do we really want a clipboard interface that treats almost any string 
with dots in it as a domain name?)

Keith