-----Original Message-----
From: ietf-bounces(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
[mailto:ietf-bounces(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org] On Behalf Of
Dave Cridland
Consider:
"An octet may contain 0-255".
"An octet contains 0-255".
"An octet might contain 0-255" - or it might not?
"The Foo octet MUST lie between 0 and 127 inclusive; that is, the highest
bit MUST NOT
be set."
"A valid Foo octet lies between 0 and 127 inclusive; that is, the highest
bit is never set."
We do not improve clarity by making sentences harder to read.
We should avoid rfc2119 language where possible, to be clear, but not at the
expense of
clarity.
* Could be read as normative: "Always do this, unless you can explain why
you can't."
Lee