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Network Working Group D. Crocker (UCLA-NMC) Request For Comment: #539 J. Postel (UCLA-NMC) NIC 17644 July 9, 1973 References: 524

         Thoughts on the Mail Protocol Proposed in RFC 524

Generally, we feel that the protocol is extremely rich. We also feel that there are some minor and some major problems.

The minor points first:

  1.  <CA> and <CA2> are not explained until the formal syntax. It
  would be more convenient, if they were explained sooner.

  2. The Proposed <CA2> is a bad thing, since it is the Telnet Go-
  Ahead, which should not be used by higher level protocols.

  3. The default SIGNATURE should be the sign-on or ident of the
  author(s).

  4. The Disposition INTERRUPT would be more useful if it had
  author/clerk-assigned "levels". Currently mail would be either
  urgent or not. With levels (say 1 to 10), the sender could rate the
  degree of urgency.

      There would be no precise defined meaning to any of these
      levels, merely the opportunity for a subjective evaluation by
      the sender. The receiver (process or person) may do whatever
      they wish with the information.

      A user could thereby direct a receiving process to notify him
      immediately of Priority 5 or higher Short mail or any Priority
      10 mail immediately, but defer notification of any other mail.
      (Length is discussed later in this note.)

  5. Also, we would like the  word, "INTERRUPT", to be changed to
  URGENT or PRIORITY

  6. In keeping with offering the sender the opportunity to 'rate' his
  mail, we would like to allow him the chance to warn the receiver of
  the size of the mail.  This could be a byte count and/or an
  imprecise SHORT/MEDIUM/LONG.  Again, the receiver may use this
  information as he/it sees fit.

D. Crocker & Postel [Page 1]  RFC 539 Thoughts on the RFC 524 Mail Protocol July 1973

  7. The ID command seems confusing.

      If I am a clerk and sending to someone on another host, that
      host may ask me to 'prove' my identity by using an ID. How can
      the Sigma-7 at UCLA-NMC know WHITE's id? He does not have one on
      the Sigma, but certainly should be able to send mail to us
      there.

  8. How do ACK's, Progress Reports, or Replies work when there is no
  Reference Serial number?

  9. Please include the  distinction between Static and Dynamic
  attributes as part of the formal syntax.

  10. Though hosts must be allowed to require a login, before they
  will accept mail,  would like the Protocol document to reflect a
  negative attitude towards such a requirement.

  11. In describing defaults, relatively cryptic phrases such as
  "Author to the Clerk" are sometimes used. Please be a bit more
  clear.

  12. The sender is required to send Static, Dynamic, and then
  Optional parameters.

      This requires receiving hosts to buffer the contents before
      passing them on to the appropriate recipient. (In fact, before
      finding out whether it can/will accept the mail.)

      The order should be: Dynamic, Optional, Static.

      By requiring the sending host to transmit the dynamic and
      optional attributes first, the receiving host can also reroute
      mail based upon its Priority and Length.

Now for the hairier problems:

  1. We would like to make a strong statement in favor of the
  unified-access (one selector process with one listening socket)
  approach.  However, since it does not exist, yet:

      The Mail Protocol should NOT be a subsystem of FTP. The Mail
      Protocol USES the File Transfer Protocol, the same as RJE uses
      FTP. We therefore suggest the use of the RJE model.

      This unfortunately opens up the issue of logging in, to send
      mail. The advantage of having FTP have a MAIL command is that it
      defines a class of data transfer which many hosts will allow for

D. Crocker & Postel [Page 2]  RFC 539 Thoughts on the RFC 524 Mail Protocol July 1973

      free, while maintaining control over other, 'normal' file
      transfer.

      The solution should be the same as that currently used by RJE.

  2. The FORWARD function allows a site to receive and hold mail
  during and/or, until a transfer request is received from the
  'recipient' at another host.

      This action takes place AFTER receipt of the mail, so we would
      like to suggest a command for "Rerouting" mail just PRIOR to its
      receipt.

      This allows a receiving host to refuse a given piece of mail,
      but suggest an alternate receiver. This would be useful if the
      recipient were using  another host for a while, or if the
      recipient  didn't want to rack up storage charges at the first
      site.

      Three variation can occur, one of which will require a special
      MP reply code:

          Automatic forwarding:  Accept the mail and then
          automatically transfer it to the user's alternate mailbox.

              This could be classed as a user  "feature"  and would
              not be part of the protocol.  However, it would be quite
              useful.

          Automatic forwarding with copy held:  The same as the first
          case, but the transferring server keeps a copy of the mail.

          Rerouting without accepting:  The mail is never accepted
          from the sender. The sender is, however, informed of an
          alternate mailbox.

              The Rerouting information would be in reply to a
              RECIPIENT command.

              476 <recipient> IS AT <pathname>

     [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
     [ into the online RFC archives by Alex McKenzie with    ]
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D. Crocker & Postel [Page 3]