moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu (Keith Moore) wrote on 05.01.04 in
<184A8B7A-3F3F-11D8-93B4-000393DB5366(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu>:
But *why* would an implementation care about the publication
guidelines for the field? That's the *only* thing "X-" tells you.
because any field that doesn't have a published definition probably
isn't something that should be implemented on a widespread basis -
since without a definition you have no reason to expect it to work
predictably from one implementation to another.
admittedly, this inference might be a bit subtle. I see no harm in
making it more explicit.
It's not so much subtle as it is false.
Counterexamples:
X-Face: - there's every expectation of this interoperating just fine.
HowDoYouDo: - no such expectation whatsoever
"X-" doesn't actually tell you what you claim it does.
MfG Kai