Re: 8-bit transmission in NNTP

Doesn't sound like a difficult problem - a MIME encoder/decoder for NetNews 
desktop agents....  Why does the "middle" (the NNTP transport) have to change? 

On Sep 9, 14:42, Mark Crispin wrote:
> Subject: 8-bit transmission in NNTP
}The issue has come up recently about the use of quoted-printable vs. 8-bit in
}netnews postings and in particular in the NNTP protocol.  It appears, from a
}cursory examination of the status quo, that officially netnews is 7-bit;
}however, ``just send 8 bits'' is common practice within the netnews community.
}
}``Common practice'', as opposed to an IETF standard, does little to give us
}warm fuzzy feelings; and as a veteran of the ``just send 8 bits'' SMTP wars I
}am particularly nervous about travelling down that slippery slop.
}
}On the other hand, it is arguable that the ``all the world is UNIX'' attitude
}is an acceptable one for netnews and there really is no problem with ``just
}send 8 bits'' in netnews.  There is, of course, a problem for implementors of
}software that supports both mail and news, since they would have to keep
}firmly in mind that they can't ``just send 8 bits'' in mail (read: we'll see a
}lot of illicit 8-bit SMTP to non-EHLO servers).
}
}The purpose of this message is to get discussion going on this question, if it
}isn't already, and hopefully result in a ruling.  Maybe (shudder!) it's time
}for an IETF-NNTP working group?  
}
}-- Mark --
}
}
>-- End of excerpt from Mark Crispin

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