Re: [idn] I-D ACTION:draft-ietf-idn-idna-08.txt

[liana Ye <liana.ydisg@juno.com>]

Eric:

Now that I can see where your stand comes from.  7-bit vs. 
8-bit interpretation can be compared at many points of 
our internet transmission, or we say at many layers our
communication model.  

In the old days, the layers were not very clear to many, and
we handle 8-bit data at keyboard input level, which later 
continues from the wire of keyboards to the wire of internet.  

At this point, we trying to use only 7-bit interpretation as the
standard to insure the stability and easy handling of internet
security, from the bottom up, while trying to conver the 8-bit
data onto the 7-bit label at some levels agreeable to 
implementors, service providers and the users.  

An 8-bit interpretation to be a standard is only possible 
after we can get 7-bit IDN implemented and proved to be 
stable.  Let us leave the 8-bit interpretation undefined for 
now, so that we can move on.

Liana

On Fri, 31 May 2002 12:29:14 -0500 "Eric A. Hall" <ehall@ehsco.com>
writes:
> 
> John C Klensin wrote:
> 
> > My problem is that I don't know how to tell the three cases
> > apart (except by looking at RR type or Class definitions).  If
> > you believe [...]
> 
> What I believe is that DNS systems store and exchange raw octet 
> values.
> 
> Secondary to that point, the only time that ASCII enters into the 
> equation
> is when the octet values need to be interpreted, as in: (1) the 
> 7-bit
> values are rendered for display, and (2) the 7-bit values in the A-Z 
> and
> a-z ranges from ASCII are compared. In all other cases, the data is
> treated as simple octet values. This includes ASCII character values 
> (NB
> the case-specific storage rules), the non-character ASCII values, 
> and the
> eight-bit non-interpreted codes.
> 
> Tertiary to that point, the rules for hostnames are recommendations 
> which
> act as a higher-layer octet-range mask, but this does not change the
> storage and transfer formats, nor does it change the interpretation 
> rules.
> Instead it only defines a reasonable subset of characters with high
> probabilities of successful interpretation.
> 
> In short, all code values in the DNS database and message are 
> treated as
> octets. If a domain name contains a seven-bit code, that value must 
> be
> treated as a precise ASCII character. If a domain contains an 
> eight-bit
> code, then that code must be treated as undefined data. If the 
> domain name
> needs to be compared with another domain name, all of the codes must 
> be
> treated as eight-bit values, with the exception of the A-Z and a-z 
> ranges.
> 
> I also believe that it is entirely possible for people to think way 
> too
> much about this.
> 
> Finally, I also believe that any subsequent discussion on this 
> matter
> should be directed to namedroppers. This WG is not the proper forum 
> for
> any advancement of this discussion.
> 
> -- 
> Eric A. Hall                                        
> http://www.ehsco.com/
> Internet Core Protocols          
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/coreprot/
>