Subject: MADCAP error codes/messages

From: Steve Hanna <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 11:23:04 -0400

During the IETF Last Call on MADCAP, a suggestion has been made that we
add an error code and/or error message option that would allow servers
to respond with an error instead of just ignoring the packet that caused
the error. To avoid implosion, servers would not send error responses to
multicast messages unless the Server ID matched their own.

The arguments in favor of including error codes/messages are:

* makes debugging easier
* allows for better error messages
* avoids pointless retransmissions by client

The arguments against are:

* no address available is handled by NAK. Other errors are rare.
* adds complexity to protocol with little real-world benefit
* textual error messages have internationalization problems

I would like to solicit feedback from the list. What do you think?
Should we add a numeric error code option to MADCAP? What about a
textual error message option?

Thanks,

Steve