In <199902062344(_dot_)SAA01002(_at_)spot(_dot_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> Keith
Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> writes:
sendmail, starting in version 8.8.0, simply drops bytes 128-159 from all
incoming header fields.
The underlying problem is that sendmail's code is far from 8-bit-clean.
sendmail's entire rewriting mechanism works with a string format that
assigns special meanings to bytes 129, 130, 133, etc. It can't even deal
with an 8-bit name in the From line.
This could actually turn out to be a Good Thing in that it will
slow down those who want to propagate 8-bit headers until they
are properly defined and their implications are understood.
Actually, it will be a Bad Thing, because it will encourage people to
continue the illegal use of ISO-8859-1, which does not use those
characters and who therefore "get away" with it presently.
I'm concerned with the features that users rely on, not just the
features guaranteed by the IETF.
I don't want to gratuitously break things unless they cause harm. But
if users rely on nonstandard features, they deserve whatever they get.
Yes, I agree.
--
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
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