Google.

From: Jeff Relf (Usenet_at_JeffRelf.Cotse.NET)
Date: 09/05/04


Date: 5 Sep 2004 14:23:18 GMT

Hi Mitch Perkins,

You wrote: <<

   Your method of " ranking of people ",
   complete with error(s)... >>

Note that I labeled it _ a _ ranking, not _ the _ ranking.

  It's just a method, take it or leave it.

  I like it because it ranks people by direct replies.

As for errors... What errors ?

I divided the whole thing into two groups,
  which I should've labeled more clearly as:

    Those with two or more titles that don't start with "Re:"
    and those with one or no such titles.

Why did I divide people into two groups like that ?

  Because I feel that people who don't follow RFC 1036
  should be ranked lower than those who do.

When all-uppercase, RFC documents employ exact definitions of
  the following words: SHOULD and MUST.

Because the title of a message SHOULD describe the message,
RFC 1036 says that when the topic changes:

  A. One SHOULD Not use "Re: " at the start of a title.

  B. One SHOULD Not delete the References line.

>From http://www.usenet-fr.net/fr-chartes/son-of-rfc1036.2.html
<< If the poster determines that
    the topic of the followup differs significantly
    from what is described in the subject,
    a new, more descriptive, subject SHOULD be substituted
    ( With No Back Reference ). >>
      ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^

The term, " back reference " here is defined as
  the " Re: " tag at the start of a title,
  ( Not the References: line in the headers ).

Google violates RFC 1036 by mandating something more like this:

  Because the title of a message MUST define the thread,
  One MUST use "Re: " at the start of a title...
  Otherwise we MUST delete the References line.

And that's your unspoken complaint isn't it Mitch ?

Your stuck using a broken newsreader: Google.



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