Joel,
Ole, it is true that we write in English, and there is always room for
"interpretation", sometimes reasoanble room, sometimes not.
But in this case we have a demonstrated difference in how people
understand the existing text. When we have such a demonstrated
difference, we have an obligation to address it.
This particular issue has caused no interoperability issue, and only a single
question to the working group 20 years ago.
The current debate has been caused by a set of new proposals, independently of
2460, where the authors have in a creative reading of the current text figured
out that they can shoe-horn header insertion in without actually violating the
specification. Now, if clarifying the text was done, then I presume these
proposals would just adapt to update 2460bis instead. The real battle would in
any case have to be over those documents, not this one.
Now for the snarkiness; an issue that has created real problems is both IETF
specifications (although experimental) and implementations of address rewriting
by intermediate boxes. And there isn't a explicit ban on address rewriting in
2460. Should we add that? Would it help?
PS: The ability to do ECMP is why I helped with and supported the effort to
get the flow label use for ECMP entropy documented. That would ameliorate a
number of problems. I do not expect this revision of 2460 to fix that,
particularly since there seems to be little adoption. I try not to get
distracted looking for perfection.
Yes, and that's greatly appreciated!
Best regards,
Ole
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