Subject: RE: On services, mechanisms, and naughty bits

From: "Myjak, Michael" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 13:52:45 -0500

*	Paul Ferguson wrote:
*	> The more I hear the term "guarantee" used in the discussion of
*	> diffserv, the more I dislike it. For one, I think it is highly
*	> misleading, wholly inaccurate, and unrealistic.
*	> 
*	> If pressed for a suitable alternative, I would have chosen
*	> "assurance".
*	
*	to which Pawan replied:
*	Could you please clarify the semantic difference between
*	"guarantee" and "assurance".
*	Pawan

According to Webster, A guarantee is ..." a) a pledge that something is
as represented and will be replaced if it does not meet the
specifications. b) a positive assurance that something will be done in a
manner specified."

Assurance is "...1) the state of assuring; 2) the state of being
assured; sureness, confidence; certainty. 3) something said or done to
inspire confidence, as a promise, positive statement, etc.; guarantee. "

Seems clear to me that neither of these terms "inspire confidence" where
a fair arbitration link layer is involved; A higher degree of
probability, (desire?) perhaps, but not assurance.

-Michael