E-mail that crashes PMMail 2000

[Bill Wood]

There is a class of computers where (system) crashes are simply
not permitted. These are realtime systems that control very
expensive items. A VG example is the Space Shuttle flight
computer. From the time a code change is approved (a long
process in itself), it takes 18 months before the new code is
loaded onto an actual flight vehicle. The testing and
simulations consider every possibility that anybody can think
of, has experienced in the past, etc. The flight hardware is
triple-redundant.

The point is that bulletproof code is feasible but very costly.
However, when a messaging system can crash due to the content
(or error in the content) of a msg, then this is a pretty
fundamental flaw. The system should be fully protected from msg
content. Lose the msg ... ok. Lose the system ... not ok. Think
of a router.

w3

+++++

On Thu, 13 Apr 2000 14:35:46 +0100 (BST), Simon Bowring wrote:

>>Yep, test for the small number of allowable cases, then reject as badly
>>formed anything that doesn't behave in this way.
>
>You would initially think so, but it's actually far more complex 
>than that, because you really have to cope with detecting and fixing 
>"errors" in the html, like dealing with both legal and illegal
>missing </..> closures etc.
>
>So much HTML that is "out-there" is broken, and many automatic 
>tools produce broken HTML!
>
><change-the-record>
>  Just one of the many problems with HTML in general, and another 
>  contributer to it's unsuitability for use as rich text mark-up for 
>  email ;-)
></change-the-record>!
>
>Simon
>

w3

Bill Wood
Las Vegas, NV
wwwood@lv.rmci.net

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