RE: Enumerated INTEGER - start with zero or one (0 or 1) ?

["Romascanu, Dan (Dan)" <dromasca@avaya.com>]

I think that we should go with the recommendation that enumerations start with 1, and encourage people that they be explicit why they chose to start with zero. However, there is no way of forbidding the use of zero, as long as RFC2578 only recommends but does not forbid it. Some of the IEEE MIBs make use of the zero value, and being compatible with these MIBs is a good enough reason for them to claim an exception. 

Dan
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wijnen, Bert (Bert) [mailto:bwijnen@lucent.com]
> Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 5:32 PM
> To: Mreview (E-mail)
> Subject: Enumerated INTEGER - start with zero or one (0 or 1) ?
> 
> 
> What is our collective thinking about this?
> 
> While reviewing the RMON APM MIB module, I find that most
> enumerations start with 1, but a few start with 0 (zero)
> for (as far as I can tell) no good reason.
> 
> RFC2578 sect 7.1.1. recommends that they start at 1.
> Should we encourage people to include an explantion in the 
> DESCRIPTION clause if they do not follow that recommendation?
> 
> In any event, it would be good if we can make some clarification
> in the GUIDELINES doc, so that we have a consistent review of
> this topic.
> 
> Thanks,
> Bert 
> 
>