🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan10.120626.11429W@lumina.edb.tih.no> ketil@edb.tih.no writes:

>I didn't take time to read the entire X.400, so I may have overlooked
>something. X.402, 18.3.12 c) identifies "the initials of all his names
>but his surname" as an optional piece of information out of the four 
>that makes up a personal-name. So it looks as if - in principle - the
>initial of the Givenname should be included. 
>
The clause is not as precisely written as it could be. The text reads:

"The value of a personal-name comprises the following four pieces of
information, the first mandatory, the others optional:

a) The person's surname

b) The person's given name

c) The initials of all his names, but his surname.

d) His generation (e.g. "Jr")."

As it stands, it an undeniably sexist and WASP view of the world, and probably
ought to be challenged. However, the statement is clear as it stands. It is 
the INITIALS parameter that is optional, but if present, the requirement is
clear - all the initials except the last.

This is not a trivial discussion. Implementors should validate O/R Addresses
for correctness. It is a good way of checking for errors and avoiding
mis-delivery. I would expect many implementations (including MTAs) to check
the above, and to invalidate O/R Addresses that include both a Given Name 
and Initials, and to non-deliver when the first letter of the initials is
not the same as the first letter of the given name.


-- 
Tony Whyman             McCallum Whyman Associates      Tel +44 962 735580
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