Actually, David, it's too bad you weren't in St. Louis. My observation
there is that the difference is not between people who expect 822/SMTP
to be transient and those who expect it to last a long time. Rather, I
was amused to discover, the difference seems to be between two groups
that disagree about the right way to prolong and promote the longevity
of 822/SMTP:
-- The "conservative" camp believes that simplicity and stability is one
of 822/SMTP's biggest advantages over X.400. If 822/SMTP were to become
as complex as X.400, for example, it would lose most of its staying
power.
-- The "liberal" camp believes that upgrading 822/SMTP is the best way
to stave off future desertions from the 822/SMTP camp.
In other words, I think that many people on both sides of this debate
hope & expect that 822/SMTP will be long-lived, and that the
disagreements center on the right way to promote and guide that long
life. -- Nathaniel