--On Thursday, January 05, 2012 06:48 -0800 Dave CROCKER <dhc@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > (One can quibble about the difference between algorithm and > program. An algorithm is a component of a program. The > distinction is relevant here because a protocol is typically a > complete mechanism rather than being a component of the > mechanisms. On the other hand, an entire Internet service > might comprise multiple protocols.) Or an algorithm is an abstraction (usually mathematical as distinct from some other sort of specification) and the program (or part of it) is a specific realization of that abstraction. The difference between that distinction and the one you make is that we have a long history of correct algorithms and incorrect or inadequate implementations. john _______________________________________________ Ietf mailing list Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf