Re: [idn] stringprep comment 3

[Paul Hoffman / IMC <phoffman@imc.org>]

At 3:18 AM +0900 1/30/02, Soobok Lee wrote:
>
>  In stringprep 'abstract'
>
>
>"Abstract
>
>This document describes a framework for preparing text strings in order
>to increase the likelihood that string input and string comparison work
>in ways that make sense for typical users throughout the world. The
>stringprep protocol is useful for protocol identifier values, company
>and personal names, internationalized domain names, and other text
>strings."
>
>Do you see  "increase the likelihood ..." , not "ensure"  ?

Yes, exactly. We know *for sure* that there will be confusion; there 
have been many examples shown on this mailing list already.

>How humble and modest assertion!

Thank you.

>But, how can such framework serve for protocol *identifier* values ?

In exactly the same way that the current one does: there are lots of 
problems with string input and comparison today for LDH strings.

>Can any stable and trustworthy identifier system rely on
>  rules that are just *likely to work for typical users* ?

Of course. It works acceptably today for DNS names, for email 
addresses, and so on. Do you have a proposal for assuring the entry 
of today's DNS names and email addresses are correct? If so, many 
people would greatly want to see it!

>"In this case, "correct" means that if two different people enter what
>they think is the same string into two different input mechanisms, the
>strings should match on a character-by-character basis."
>
>This requirement  is not met  in "turkish < I dot-above> and <I><dot-above>" .
>Current version of stringprep fails to unifiy them and therefore
>fails to satisfy   *typical* azeri and lithuanian users.

Of course. This is no different than if one person enters 
"chongwon.co.kr" and another enters "chong-won.co.kr" and they get 
different results.

Everything you have said in this message is strong support for the 
IRNSS work. I hope you will contribute to it.

--Paul Hoffman, Director
--Internet Mail Consortium