Re: Cataloging LDP White Paper: Categorization

[Sandy Harris <sandy@storm.ca>]

Kevin Cullis wrote:

> 5.3  OSI model of
> 5.3.1  Level 7 Application
> 5.3.2  Level 6 Presentation
> 5.3.3  Level 5 Session
> 5.3.4  Level 4 Transport
> 5.3.5  Level 3 Network
> 5.3.6  Level 2 Data Link
> 5.3.7  Level 1 Physical Links

Absolutely not! Sorry, Kevin, but you've pushed one of my buttons.

The OSI stuff failed miserably, and good riddance. To quote the funniest
technical book ever written, Padlipsky's "Elements of Networking Style":

	"Oversold, underdesigned and years from here".

	"If you know what you're doing, three layers are enough.
	 If not, even 17 won't save you."

Unfortunately some schools still take the OSI stuff seriously, and it
seems popular among telephonists (for all I know, ir actually makes
some sense in that domain), but as a set of protocols for computer
networking, it was hopelessly ill-conceived. Thank heaven it was
never implemented.

One reason for Linux's success is that much of its networking is based
on TCP/IP. 

If you must introduce a formal model of networking, start with
Padlipsky's RFC 871 " A perspective on the Arpanet Reference Model".
All the RFCs 871 to 875 were also chapters in his book.


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