Errors-to: owner-drums@CS.UTK.EDU
Message-Id: <199506011401.KAA04525@info.cren.net>
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Date: Thu, 1 Jun 1995 10:03:55 -0500
To: Keith Moore <moore@CS.UTK.EDU>
From: conklin@info.cren.net (Jim Conklin)
Subject: Re: getting started
Cc: drums@CS.UTK.EDU

At  2:03 AM 6/1/95 -0400, Keith Moore wrote:
>But a word about our scope: We are here to clarify the proper behavior
>for *Internet* MTAs and UAs.  Gateways have to conform to these rules
>as best they can.  If they fail to conform, they don't meet the
>standard.  That won't stop people from connecting those gateways to
>the Internet. But we should make it very clear what the rules are, so
>at least the gateway implementors will know what to shoot for.

  I'm glad of this.  I think it's a scope we can hope to accomplish, and
one that's very much needed.
  In response to your earlier comment about MUAs as contrasted to MTAs,
Keith, I'd like to see us look at the whole INTERNET MAIL SYSTEM insofar as
possible, keeping in mind Stef's distinction between the "outer" and the
"inner" Internet (hope I remembered that terminology correctly!) as a
useful one that I believe to be consistent with your statement of scope,
rather than what I believe to be a very fuzzy distinction between the
functions of MUAs and those of MTAs in the functioning of Internet mail.

Jim