ietf-822
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Re: PLEASE READ -- Open issues list for RFC-XXXX

1991-11-11 14:22:11
Stef -

     We need an interim thing for ISO-2022-JP, because RFC-XXXX will have the
effect of specifically banning current practice.  I propose nothing more than
specifying TEXT/ISO-2022-JP as a placeholder (as also TEXT/ISO-2022-KR, etc.)
until such time as there is a formal specification of the representation of
Japanese in e-mail.  It needs no more specification than `ISO-2022 as commonly
used in Japan', and I will strongly oppose any attempts at a more detailed
specification.

     I do not think that ISO-2022 is going to be the long-term representation
of Asian languages.  It is used only because of the realistic observation that
7-bit is in the infrastructure and cannot easily be legislated out of
existance.  Perhaps this realism on the part of the Japanese helps to explain
why they are continually kicking US and especially European butt on trade. ;-)

     In any case, this is an issue now.  It has everything to do with the
present RFC-XXXX.  It is not a `must do non-ASCII characters in headers' sort
of issue.  I will oppose any Euro-centric RFC-XXXX which has the effect of
banning Japanese e-mail.

     What needs to be done is very simple.  Define ISO-2022-JP as one of the
subtypes of TEXT, and make it clear that it should be treated as PLAIN in the
absence of any specific Japanese handling.  This should not break anyone.

-- Mark --