In
<Pine(_dot_)LNX(_dot_)4(_dot_)62(_dot_)0505270926380(_dot_)31098(_at_)sokol(_dot_)elan(_dot_)net>
"william(at)elan.net" <william(_at_)elan(_dot_)net> writes:
On Fri, 27 May 2005, Charles Lindsey wrote:
I thought the whole idea of X-headers was that they would NOT be
registered, so that people can invent them ad hoc as needed (however, it
needs to be understood that they are primarily there for human
consumption).
My understanding about "X-" is that they are for use in local-system
specific data (for use by other local systems or users) and for local
experiments (local can extend to more then one organization) and that
if they are for human consumption or machine consumption or both does
not matter. And when experiment wants to become standard then they
define full header field without "x".
If you use an X-header in an email sent to someone with whom you have no
prior arrangement, then it can only be for human-readable purposes (but
very useful nevertheless). The only time when an X-header can be
machine-interpreted is within some closed group of users, or when it is
expected that the message may come back to the machine that sent it (as in
a bounce), when it might help in deciding how to process it next.
If you are planning on having your header recognized all over the internet
(perhaps experimentally with a view to a full standard), then you should
publish it somewhere (as an ID perhaps) and that apply for a provisional
registration for it.
--
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
Tel: +44 161 436 6131 Fax: +44 161 436 6133 Web: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl
Email: chl(_at_)clerew(_dot_)man(_dot_)ac(_dot_)uk Snail: 5 Clerewood Ave,
CHEADLE, SK8 3JU, U.K.
PGP: 2C15F1A9 Fingerprint: 73 6D C2 51 93 A0 01 E7 65 E8 64 7E 14 A4 AB A5