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Re: SHOULD and RECOMMENDED

2013-06-24 15:18:31

On Jun 24, 2013, at 10:52 PM, Peter Saint-Andre <stpeter(_at_)stpeter(_dot_)im> 
wrote:

On 6/24/13 1:47 PM, Michael Thornburgh wrote:
my feeling and belief is that RFC 2119 only gives SHOULD and
RECOMMENDED the same normative requirement level, but that it does
not override or change the distinct meanings of these words in
English.  sentences using each of these terms have different meanings
in English, even when those sentences appear in RFCs.

I expect that the subtle differences between these words are lost on
non-native speakers, and even most native speakers, of English. I'd be
genuinely curious to hear that you think the distinct meanings are.


"It is RECOMMENDED that implementations send the AUTH_LIFETIME notification at 
least 4 minutes before the SA is to be deleted, to facilitate the user entering 
credentials in time."

"The implementation SHOULD send the AUTH_LIFETIME notification at least 4 
minutes before the SA is to be deleted, to facilitate the user entering 
credentials in time."

- What are the subtle differences in meaning between these two sentences?

- Would an implementation written by a native speaker be any different 
depending on which of the above sentences was in the RFC?

Yoav



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