Re: [NGO] external module properties

["Randy Presuhn" <randy_presuhn at mindspring.com>]

Hi -

> From: "Martin Bjorklund" <mbj at tail-f.com>
> To: <phil at juniper.net>
> Cc: <ngo at ietf.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [NGO] external module properties
...
> But with revisions, you have to explicitly rev all importers of a
> module when the module is updated.

No.  Importers of a module which has been updated only need to be
revised if one wants to take advantage of the changes that were made.

> Suppose module A rev 1 gets published in an rfc, and module B which
> imports A rev 1 in another.  Now, A is updated to rev 2.  If a vendor
> wants to implement A rev 2 and B, that doesn't work, unless B is also
> updated to rev 2 as soon as A is updated.

In my opinion, this is a feature, rather than a bug.
(But there's no "as soon as" requirement.  There's no need to update
B until someone wants a version that includes the behavioural changes
that would result from using the newer version of A.)

I think there's some wisdom in the language that accompanies the
references sections in many ISO/ITU documents:
    The following specifications contain provisions which, through references
    in this text, constitute provisions of this specification.  At the time of publication,
    the editions indicated were valid.  All specifications are subject to revision, and
    parties to agreements based on this Specification are encouraged to investigate
    the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the specifications listed
    below.

Randy

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