From: Mark Crispin (mrc+unicode@panda.com)
Date: Mon Jun 28 2010 - 14:48:24 CDT
On Mon, 28 Jun 2010, Mark Davis ☕ wrote:
> The problem with slavishly following the charset parameter is that it is
> often incorrect. However, the charset parameter is a signal into the
> character detection module, so the charset is correctly supplied from the
> message then the results of the detection will be weighted that direction.
I interpret these two sentences as:
"The problem with following the standards is that some people don't follow
the standards. So instead of following the standards ourselves, we will
guess if the other guy follows the standards or not, no matter how much he
claims to follow standards. Too bad if our fix transforms his valid data
into garbage."
I have heard that song many times over 30 years. I have often been the
victim of having my valid data transformed into garbage by the attitude of
standards-violators who think that I can't possibly be following the
standards, therefore my data must be "fixed". When I protest that my data
was "fixed" into garbage, I get told that my complaint doesn't matter.
I take a hard line these days. I generally don't like the concept of
"fixing" things; I believe in GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out). More
importantly, I utterly reject VIGO (Valid In, Garbage Out) caused by
ill-considered efforts to create GIVO.
What I don't understand is why the EU doesn't use its regulatory power to
force compliance. If the EU can tell Britain that it can't sell eggs by
the dozen any more, it can shut down a messaging service in Europe that
does not comply with published standards.
-- Mark --
http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.
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