PMP Mail Archive: Re: PMP> URGENT: SYNTHESIS proposal on definition of OCTET STRING to

Re: PMP> URGENT: SYNTHESIS proposal on definition of OCTET STRING to

David_Kellerman@nls.com
Thu, 24 Jul 1997 14:17:01 PST

Chris and Lloyd, here's a suggestion that might add some helpful input
on the character set stuff.

One of the key issues is, do we opt for multiple code sets, or do we opt
for UTF-8? This is part of the swords-and-armor debate that I alluded
to previously. Tom and Ira (and presumably most of Xerox) definitely
land in the "multiple" camp. Yes, I'm a "unitarian." This issue has
been debated ad-infinitum elsewhere, and I don't see where we get
anywhere debating it once more.

What I do think might help would be for Lloyd and Chris to go back to
the area directors and get further clarification as to how the IETF and
SNMP worlds are inclined. As I noted in my previous message, I see a
preponderance of evidence that they have chosen the unitarian approach.
Tom and Ira read it differently, but I think they're trying shove a
camel through the eye of a needle. Maybe I'm wrong -- we ought to find
out.

In contrast to the political complications, I do think the technical
complications of adopting a unitarian approach in this case may actually
be quite modest, and worth evaluating carefully.

:: David Kellerman Northlake Software 503-228-3383
:: david_kellerman@nls.com Portland, Oregon fax 503-228-5662