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rfc:rfc807

Network Working Group J. Postel Request for Comments: 807 ISI

                                                       9 February 1982
                   Multimedia Mail Meeting Notes

Introduction

 A meeting was held at USC Information Sciences Institute on the 12th
 of January 1982 to discuss multimedia mail issues and experiments.
 The list of attendees is at the end of this memo.

Overview:

 This meeting was called to discuss common interests in multi-media
 computer mail experiments, and to agree on some specific initial
 experiments.

Review of Status:

 Review current status of multimedia efforts at CMU, ISI, MIT, COMSAT,
 BBN, UCL, SRI.
 CMU
    Using PERQ, Quip for fax, LPCM vocoder from LL, will get NEC board
    (3 chips) to replace vocoder.  Will have a stand alone voice I/O
    device that operates at 2400 baud (not packetized). Not working on
    IP/TCP.  Will use the IP and TCP from the BBN project. Already
    using the BBN Jericho developed Pascal IP and CFTP. Interested in
    word recognition of LPC digitized voice data. Planning to package
    a synthesiser, an analyzer, and a pitch tracker on one board.
 ISI
    Using TOPS20 (code in BLISS10), and starting to use PERQ (code in
    Pascal), RAPICOM 450 for fax.  Main interest is in the data
    structuring and message transport protocols.
 MIT
    Using Apollos, will program in MDL.  Use of Apollos still limited
    due to (1) MDL not completely implemented, (2) network interface
    not yet available (waiting on multibus  to then interface to
    Ethernet). Will get NEC CCITT fax machine. Looking into VAX+BBN
    BitGraph for future.  Main work to date in  design for sharing
    message data in a conceptualy centralized filing system.  Emphasis

Postel [Page 1]

Multi-Media Mail Meeting Notes 9 February 1982

    on efficient storage and manipulation of multirecipient messages,
    enclosures, citations, etc.
 COMSAT
    Using small 11s, Rapicom 450 and 500 fax machines, also have some
    LPC vocoders.  Substantial work has been done on encoding and
    decoding both Rapicom 450 and CCITT T.4 fax data, and also on
    manipulation of bitmap data (See RFC 803).
 BBN
    Using Jericho (code in Pascal). Will be building a prototype
    system with the aim of investigating problems of data distribution
    and privacy.  Trying to produce portable software currently in
    Pascal but may switch to ADA in the distant future.  Have IP and
    CFTP running, working on TCP. CFTP is a file transfer built
    directly on IP.
 UCL
    Using LSI-11, Rapicom 450 fax machine, Grinell bitmap display.
    May get PERQs (produced by ICL) in future.  Have done quite a lot
    of work on encoding/decoding for the Rapicom 450, and in bitmap
    manipulations (e.g., cleanup of noise, scaling, cut and paste).
    Interests in the relation of other types of display protocols to
    multimedia effort e.g., VIDEOTEXT and TELETEXT.
 SRI
    There are three multimedia mail projects at SRI,sponsored by DCEC,
    ARPA, and NAVELEX.  SRI is a subcontractor (with Sytek and DTI) to
    SDC in the DCEC program to produce protocol specifications for the
    DoD.  SRI has written service specifications for a mail system
    similar to RFC759+767 with security features added.  The ARPA
    project is studying the issues involved in a multimedia mail
    architecture based on RFC759+767, including negotiations,
    envelopes, and multilevel security.  The NAVELEX project is
    investigating user interfaces for command and control
    workstations, including natural language access to a data base.
    The plan is to use RFC759+767 data structures to communicate text
    and graphics, implemented on Foonly F-5s running Tenex with
    Foo-Vision displays.  The current choice for the graphics protocol
    is Bisbey's GL2.

Postel [Page 2]

Multi-Media Mail Meeting Notes 9 February 1982

Discussion:

 Coding/Decoding Algorithm:
    We agree to use the encoding specified in the CCITT T.4
    recommendation for the exchange of black and white bitmap data.
 New Equipment:
    It is reported that soon NEC will have CCITT T.4 Group 3 Fax
    machines for about $15K.
 NBS Mail Standard:
    The possibility that the NBS Mail Format Standard is a workable
    alternative to the RFC759+767 protocol is to be studied.  What is
    the relationship between these standards?  Do we have comment on
    the NBS Standard to submit to NBS?
 Equipment Variations:
    What happens if the receiver does not have equipment capable of
    protraying some of the data (e.g., dosen't have a  LPC vocoder)?
    There are three subtopics:  How many "standard" forms are
    allowed?, What do you tell the user if you can't do it?, and How
    does the cost of a medium (in memory or cpu cycles or portrayal
    time) effect its use? The general feeling was that if there is
    some type of data the receiving system can't portray, it should
    simply tell the user "There is some data here I can't portray and
    it's type is x.". The other aspects are items for further study.
 Negotiation:
    Does negotiation make sense in a mail system?  What are the kinds
    of things to be negotiated?  One possiblity is to initially send
    only pointers to the sections of a message, and have the recipient
    system ask for the parts it can handle.  Does this make sense in a
    message relaying environment?  Or for messsages with a fine scale
    interleaving of media types?  This topic is for further study.
 Enclosures, Pointers, Cross References:
    This seems too complex to handle at this meeting, so for now send
    the whole thing.  This is an item for further study.
 Editing Multimedia Objects:
    This is one of the most interesting parts of these research

Postel [Page 3]

Multi-Media Mail Meeting Notes 9 February 1982

    projects, so each group will develop their own techniques, and we
    will compare notes.
 Manipulation of Bitmaps:
    The issues involve aspect ratios, cut and paste, rotation  and,
    scaling. We need to compare notes and exchange algorithms.  An
    item for further study.
 Mailbox IDs and Control Information:
    With different types of source hosts and destination host
    (timsharing systems, personal computers) and different types of
    mail delivery schemes (append to file, query database server), do
    we have sufficient control mechanisms and addressing modes?  This
    is an item for further study.
 Storage and Transmission:
    How do the requirements for memory, disk, cpu, and transmission
    capacity differ for multimedia mail from text mail? This is an
    item for further study.
 Multimedia Virtual Message Format:
    It is not clear that this is anything different than what is
    specified by RFC759+767, but since it was not fully discussed it
    is an item for further study.
 Media Specific Protocols:
    Specific format definitions are needed for each media.  This is an
    item for further study.
 Interfaces to Other Systems:
    How do we interface this multimeda system to opther systems (e.g.,
    TELETEXT, VIDEOTEXT), and to text only mail systems (e.g.,
    ARPAMAIL, TELEMAIL, ONTYM).  This is an item for further study.

An Experiment:

 BITMAP-TEXT DOCUMENT EXCHANGE
    Move the data between computers as a file, using any file transfer
    method available.
    The File is a complete RFC 759 Document.

Postel [Page 4]

Multi-Media Mail Meeting Notes 9 February 1982

    Bitmap data is in revised COMSAT Image Data Format.
       Two compression types are to be used:
          Raw Bitmap
          CCITT Algorithm
    Text data is in RFC767 Paragraph Format.

Action Items:

 Start a New Note Series
    For the exchange of protocols, formats, algorithms, procedures,
    and other information between the multiamedia mail projects.
    By: Jon Postel
    Due: 1-Feb-82
 Update RFCs 759 & 767
    To remove typos and clairfy ambiguities.
    By: Jon Postel
    Due: 1-Feb-82
 Update "Image Data Structure" Memo
    To be more generally for bitmaps and not so focused on fax only.
    By: Anil Agarwal
    Due: 1-Feb-82
 Compare and Contrast NBS Mail Standard with RFC 759+767 Protocol
    Would the NBS Mail Standard be an adaquate alternative to the RFC
    759+767 approach?
    By: each site
    Due: Unspecified

Postel [Page 5]

Multi-Media Mail Meeting Notes 9 February 1982

 Issue the NBS Mail Standard as an RFC
    To aid in wide consideration of it. (Where does the online file
    come from?)
    By: Jon Postel
    Due: Unspecified
 Report on the differences between the NBS Mail Standard and other
 things.
    What are the differences between the NBS standard and the
    RFC759+767 protocol?, the IFIP plans?, the CCITT plans?, and the
    ISO plans?
    By: Debbie Deustch
    Due: Unspecified
 Demonstrate FAX-TEXT Document Exchange
    This demonstration is to be ready before and repeated at the User
    Interface Meeting at CMU.
    By: all sites
    Due: 19-20 April 82

Attendees:

 Duane A. Adams    DARPA/IPTO    Adams@ISI           (202) 694-8096
 Vint Cerf         DARPA/IPTO    Cerf@ISI            (202) 694-3049
 Harry Forsdick    BBN           Forsdick@BBN        (617) 497-3638
 Bob Thomas        BBN           BThomas@BBND        (617) 497-3483
 Gene Ball         CMU           Ball@CMUA           (412) 578-2569
 Anil Agarwal      COMSAT        Agarwal@ISID        (301) 863-6103
 David L. Mills    COMSAT        Mills@ISID          (202) 863-6092
 Dave Lebling      MIT           PDL@MIT-XX          (617) 253-1440
 Jon Postel        ISI           Postel@ISIF         (213) 822-1511
 Greg Finn         ISI           Finn@ISIF           (213) 822-1511
 Alan Katz         ISI           Katz@ISIF           (213) 822-1511
 Carl Sunshine     ISI           Sunshine@ISIF       (213) 822-1511
 David Elliott     SRI           wde@SRI-KL          (415) 859-4107
 Andy Poggio       SRI           Poggio@SRI-Unix     (415) 859 5094
 Zaw-Sing Su       SRI           ZSu@SRI-Unix        (415) 859-4576
 Steve Kille       UCL           UCL-Netwiz@ISIE  (uk) (01)387-7050
 Peter Kirstein    UCL           PKirstein@ISIA   (uk) (01)387-7050
 Bill Tuck         UCL           UKSAT@ISIE       (uk) (01)387-7050

Postel [Page 6]

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