I am really trying to restrain myself in answering your message.
The proposed change to base64 offers ZERO functional improvement.
Making that change would break the 3+ implementations already deployed
at ~500 sites. (Not to mention screwing up the 12+ other
implementations currently being developed.)
The most charitable thing I can say about this "minor change" is that it
is "gratuitous".
In terms of practical engineering, one must always weigh the pros and
cons of making a change. This analysis must include consideration of
the installed base. I could continue in this vein, but you probably
understand where this argument is going.
/mtr