The real question is where does the mapping between MIME and enum occur. Here,
you get into a debate over thin client vs. starved printer. This will not
resolve due to the wide variety of platforms, printing system views and printer
controller architectures our community represents.
The only reasonable rebuttal (to my initial premise, above) came from Steve
Zilles who pointed out that, if a printer has implemented the Printer MIB and
also IPP, that printer must recognize both MIME and lang enums. This fact (and
burden) seems unavoidable, given the choice of MIME in IPP. Still, one could
question the usage model that requires MIME in the MIB vs. in the IPP code. I
suppose it would alleviate a (very) simple mapping in the client, should they
uses SNMP for auto-configuration to determine languages supported. This would
seem like a fairly weak argument.
Just in case the prevailing forces (or our own consensus) leads us to include
MIME in the Printer MIB, it would be nice to know how the IETF process would
accommodate this. In other words, if we were to whip up a new, optional list of
prtLangMIMEType, as suggested, would the IETF allow this to slip in without
effecting the status and schedule of the Printer MIB?
In general, I think the greater harm may well be to IPP in that we have chosen
to take a very communications and "host side" view when making decisions,
failing to recognize the cost of storage in embedded devices... the very reason
enums exist.
Harry Lewis
------ Forwarded by Harry Lewis on 09/04/97 07:59 AM ------
pmp-owner@pwg.org on 09/04/97 12:12:43 AM
Please respond to pmp-owner@pwg.org @ internet
To: lpyoung@lexmark.com @ internet
cc: pmp@pwg.org @ internet
Subject: Re: PMP> Closure on MIME vs. Enums
Excellent statement, Lloyd. There is no real justification for the IPP effort
to be impacting the Printer MIB effort, particularly with regard to the
issue of MIME types vs. enum definitions.
...jay
lpyoung@lexmark.com wrote:
> Evidently there is some opinion in the IPP working group that
> the Printer MIB is stalled with the IETF because of the MIME vs
> enum discussion for interpreter types. I wanted to assure
> everyone within the PMP working group that as far as Chris and
> I are concerned this is not the case at all. Chris and I are
> working on taking the Printer MIB as currently defined forward
> to our Area Directors as a Draft Standard.
>
> >From the minutes of the last IPP conference call, an issue is
> going to be raised against the Printer MIB in the Atlanta IPP
> working group session to "keep the same Printer MIB registry,
> do not deprecate it, add a new optional, printerLangMIMEType".
> My position is and will be that the Printer MIB is closed and
> moving forward on the standards track. I have not seen enough
> justification to halt this process to add this new object.
> Regards,
> Lloyd
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Lloyd Young Lexmark International, Inc.
> Senior Program Manager Dept. C14L/Bldg. 035-3
> Strategic Alliances 740 New Circle Road NW
> internet: lpyoung@lexmark.com Lexington, KY 40550
> Phone: (606) 232-5150 Fax: (606) 232-6740