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From: info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA
Newsgroups: fa.info-vax
Subject: RFC-822 and DECnet addresses
Message-ID: <7129@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 16-May-85 05:31:12 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.7129
Posted: Thu May 16 05:31:12 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 17-May-85 00:48:11 EDT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.ARPA
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
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From: Kevin Carosso <engvax!KVC@cit-vax>

I have a problem that I think many others have seen and (hopefully)
addressed.  I've set up a system allowing VMS MAIL to be sent and
received to/from foreign networks (like ARPA and UUCP).  In doing
so, I've tried to conform to RFC-822 (ARPAnet standard for message
headers).

The problem is that I have to be able to handle DECnet addresses in
mail that I'm sending out.  For example, I have one system set up as
a gateway, with the UUCP MAIL software.  All other systems in the net
can send UUCP mail by addressing mail something like:

	gate::uucp%"uucp-address-path"

Now, when I make up return addresses, if the message is being gated
with an address like that above, the return address in the message
looks like:

	reverse-uucp-address-path!node::username

This works very well except for the fact the DECnet node names do not
conform to RFC-822 because of the "::".  Does anyone out there have
any good ideas on how I can mangle the address to conform to RFC-822
but still easily handle DECnet users?  I've thought of things like
having a special cased list of DECnet hosts, but that's stupid.
Also, replacing the DECnet address with something in an "@" form
brings up the problem of left-to-right vs. right-to-left.  e.g.
what does:

	reverse-uucp-address-path!username@decnet-node

mean?  (I want it to be the same as my previous example, but a reply to
that at most sitess would look for a site on the ARPAnet called "decnet-node"
and think it should send the message to:

	reverse-uucp-path!username

which is clearly incorrect.

Doesn't RFC-822 have any mechanism for allowing foreign network addresses
in mail going into and out of the ARPAnet?  Domains seem like they may
help, but how am I supposed to justify registering every little DECnet
with the Internet people as it's own domain?  Also, strictly speaking,
do UUCP address paths conform in some way to RFC-822?  Are they
just lucky in that they use "!" rather than "::"?

ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

	/Kevin Carosso               engvax!kcv @ CIT-VAX.ARPA
	 Hughes Aircraft Co.