Subject: [lemonade] Are X-MMS Headers Important?

From: Eric Burger <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:15:31 -0400

Why are we keeping X-MMS headers at all?  If they are of some use to an
Internet MTA or MUA, then I think we need to translate them to Internet
standard headers.

I *believe* this is NOT the case, which is why Randy proposed them and Ted
supported them.  However, I'd like to confirm this assertion.

_______________________________________________
lemonade mailing list
[email-masked]
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/lemonade

---

From: Randall Gellens <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 09:54:04 -0700

>  Internet MTA or MUA, then I think we need to translate them to Internet

Version -04 says to drop all x-mms-* headers, except for two, which 
it says MAY or SHOULD be retained.  I've previously agreed to 
changing the wording so that these two headers are treated like the 
rest of them.  So, I am not sure what purpose is served by continuing 
to beat this greasy spot that may have once been a horse.

The mapping document maps between x-mms-headers and Internet mail 
facilities to the extent possible and safe.

However, in answer to your question (as I've tried to say many times 
but I must be getting very bad at communicating), there was never, 
and I want to repeat this, *never*, any attempt to create semantics 
for x-mms-* headers in the Internet world.  It's true that -04 does 
have text that permits or advises gateways to not delete two specific 
headers, in the interest of letting this opaque string stay in a 
message in case it hits another MMS system.  This text also makes it 
painfully clear that MMS systems can't trust this information, that 
it can be stripped or altered in transit within the Internet.  Since 
there are those are feel that allowing an x-mms-* header to remain in 
a message is tantamount to specifying semantics for it and hence 
standardizing it within Internet mail, I agreed many messages ago to 
change these two headers to match the rest of them.

-- 
Randall Gellens
Opinions are personal;    facts are suspect;    I speak for myself only
-------------- Randomly-selected tag: ---------------
One's need for loneliness is not satisfied if one sits at a table alone.
There must be empty chairs as well.                        --Karl Kraus