MRC(_at_)panda(_dot_)com (Mark Crispin) writes:
... how can you possibly deal with
From: John T. Doe <jdoe(_at_)foo(_dot_)bar(_dot_)com>
which violates a similiar rule (which I also consider silly) in RFC-822?
I agree it looks like a silly rule, but it does actually have a good reason
behind it (though only Dave Crocker knows if it was the original reason):
if you allow unquoted periods, you've just changed the address syntax
complexity from LALR to LR(n) (i.e. you need multi-symbol lookahead capability
to parse properly). It makes a big practical difference in implementation
complexity, especially if you want to give sensible error messages.
Anyway, this whole thread points at the need for a mailer requirements
document (MRRFC); there are enough details in that area that it would go way
beyond the scope of HRRFC. Maybe John (;-) should convene a gang.
rayan