[db-wg] Should the "e-mail" attribute be mandatory for the "person" object?

On Fri, 7 Nov 2003, Shane Kerr wrote:

> Thor,
> 
> On 2003-10-30 21:41:54 +0200, Thor Kottelin wrote:
> >
> > I would therefore like to suggest making the "e-mail" attribute
> > mandatory for the "person" object.
> 
> This is a straightforward change.
> 
> One issue is what to do with existing personobjects that doe not have
> an "e-mail:" attribute.The most straightforward solution is to make
> no change to the objects, but to prevent new or modified person
> objects without "e-mail:".

Sounds reasonable.

> 
> > If this isn't acceptable, then maybe at least one of the "person" or
> > "role" objects referred to by an "inetnum" object should carry an
> > "e-mail" attribute.
> 
> > Additionally, in order to enhance address validity, I would like to
> > suggest performing some kind of validation on these "e-mail"
> > attribute values - perhaps simple syntax checking, or maybe even
> > full round-trip SMTP testing, or something in between.
> 
> The Database software does do some syntax checking, but only to verify
> that the address looks something like an RFC 2822 address.We can do
> varying degrees of checking, based on the same ideas presented here:
> 
> http://www.ripe.net/ripe/meetings/ripe-45/presentations/ripe45-db-contact-data/
> 
> Personally, I would prefer that when an error is detected in a contact
> address during an update that a clear warning be put in the
> acknowledgement message.This allows for update with e-mail that is
> experiencing transient delivery problems.However, if this group
> feels strongly it will be possible to reject the update.

No strong feeling either way.   

> 
> --
> Shane Kerr
> RIPE NCC
> 

Hank Nussbacher