Keith Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> writes:
Indeed so. If some non-standardized protocol is out in the wild, and
acquiring new features in a haphazard manner, and if it contains at least
some features of merit, then standardizing it may well enable some control
of the situation (e.g. by deprecating the worst features, clarifying
intentions, resolving inconsistencies, discouraging competitive protocols,
etc.).
and sometimes we do this. HTTP, NNTP, SSL -> TLS all come to mind.
Not NNTP. The NNTP RFC was published before there were any real
implementations, which is one of the reasons why it has so many flaws that
later had to be corrected in practice.
--
Russ Allbery (rra(_at_)stanford(_dot_)edu)
<http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>