Subject: [NNTP] Clarification of intra-document references in RFC 3977

From: Julien ÉLIE <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:45:35 +0100

Following a discussion with Alfred Hönes, who reported:

 > clarification of intra-document ref.
 >
 > Within Section 2 of RFC 3977, the first paragraph on page 6 says:
 >
 >                       [...].  In some cases, however, they do assume that
 >     the currently selected newsgroup (see the GROUP command,
 >     Section 6.1.1) is invalid; when so, this is indicated at the start of
 >     the example.  [...]
 >
 > The "currently selected newsgroup" is introduced in Section 6.1 (see
 > next quotation below); as such, the clause therein,
 >
 >        (see the GROUP command, Section 6.1.1)
 >
 > should more appropriately have been replaced by:
 >
 >        (see Section 6.1)
 > or:
 >        (see Section 6.1 ff.)

I do not know well what to do with that.
Here is my answer to Alfred:

I do not think the text should be changed this way.
In Section 6.1.1, we have:

    The GROUP command selects a newsgroup as the currently selected
    newsgroup and returns summary information about it.
[...]
    When a valid group is selected by means of this command, the
    currently selected newsgroup MUST be set to that group

I see, like you, that the notion is introduced in Section 6.1,
but the meaning is not explained.  It is explained in Section 6.1.1.
Besides, Section 6.1 is too vague for a quick reference because
commands like NEXT or LAST are also described...

What I suggest, however, would be to mention GROUP *and* LISTGROUP
(Section 6.1.2) because the two commands can be used to select
a newsgroup.
Well, you're also right to say that we should point at Section 6.1
because of the introduction.  Maybe it should be mentioned
explicitly that the introduction of Section 6.1 and both Section
6.1.1 and 6.1.2 should be looked at (?)

To the working group:  Do you have a better wording?
Or do you think nothing should be changed?

-- 
Julien ÉLIE

« La science consiste à passer d'un étonnement à l'autre. »
   (Aristote)