Subject: Re: [EAI] Unicode / ASCII fallback mappings?

From: Ernie Dainow <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:06:08 -0400

We are working on an update to the eai-email-clients draft that . It has 
a section on handling Alternate Addresses. Based on the discussion on 
this thread, it does not seem like there is a recommendations that can 
be made for EAI to ASCII mapping (how to create an Alternate Address), 
but it seems like it would be useful to add something about mailbox 
integration.

6.1. Mailbox Integration

If Alternate Addresses are supported, it may be desirable to combine 
mail for the UTF8SMTP address and the Alternate Address into one mailbox 
so that all related mail can be managed in one place.

For example, if a message is sent from a UTF8SMTP address to a list of 
recipients, some of the messages may be downgraded. Replies to 
downgraded messages will be delivered to the Alternate Address, so all 
the replies to a message may be split across two different mailboxes.

Mailbox integration is not generally handled by an MUA. Many existing 
MTAs/MDAs can do this with a mail "alias" or "forward". One address is 
selected as the primary mailbox and the other address is configured as 
an alias.

Forwarding allows an email address on one email provider to be 
integrated into the mailbox on another email provider. Mailbox 
integration can make it easier for users to migrate from an old email 
system that does not support UTF8SMTP to a newer one that does. All they 
need to do is forward their old email address to the Alternate Address 
on their new mail service.

    -Ernie