Messages in this thread |  | | | Date | Sun, 28 Jan 2001 07:38:12 -0800 | | From | Ben Ford <> | | Subject | Re: ECN: Clearing the air (fwd) |
| |
James Sutherland wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Jan 2001, Ben Ford wrote: > > > James Sutherland wrote: > > > > > I'm sure we all know what the IETF is, and where ECN came from. I haven't > > > seen anyone suggesting ignoring RST, either: DM just imagined that, > > > AFAICS. > > > > > > The one point I would like to make, though, is that firewalls are NOT > > > "brain-damaged" for blocking ECN: according to the RFCs governing > > > firewalls, and the logic behind their design, blocking packets in an > > > unknown format (i.e. with reserved bits set) is perfectly legitimate. Yes, > > > those firewalls should be updated to allow ECN-enabled packets > > > through. However, to break connectivity to such sites deliberately just > > > because they are not supporting an *experimental* extension to the current > > > protocols is rather silly. > > > > Do keep in mind, we aren't breaking connectivity, they are. > > Let me guess: you're a lawyer? :-) > > This is a very strange definition: if someone makes a change such that > their machine can no longer communicate with existing systems, I would say > the person making the incompatible change is the one who broke it. > > Maybe my mains sockets should be waterproof: it's still my fault when > pouring water over them causes problems, even if the standards say the > socket should be waterproof! >
Bad analogy. Try this. Jim-Bob down at your local Post Office starts rejecting all your mail that has the 4 digit zip code extension (Not in wide use, but a "proposed standard") because he's old school and doesn't know what it is -- maybe its secret spy communications!!!
(Although this would have the side benefit of really reducing the amount of junk mail received . . . . . . )
And no, I'm not a lawyer.
-b
- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
|  |