Vocabulary
This standard uses the words MUST, MUST NOT, REQUIRED, SHALL, SHALL NOT,
SHOULD, SHOULD NOT, RECOMMENDED, MAY and OPTIONAL as described in RFC
2119.
Here are some reminders from RFC 2119:
- MUST
- This word, or the terms REQUIRED or SHALL, mean that the
definition is an absolute requirement of the specification.
- MUST NOT
- This phrase, or the terms PROHIBITED or SHALL NOT, mean that
the definition is an
absolute prohibition of the specification.
- SHOULD
- This word, or the adjective RECOMMENDED, mean that there may exist
valid reasons in particular circumstances to ignore a particular item,
but the full implications must be understod and carefully weighted
before choosing a different course.
- SHOULD NOT
- This phrase, or the phrase NOT RECOMMENDED, mean that there may exist
valid reasons in particular circumstances when the particular behavior
is acceptable or even useful, but the full implications should be
understood and the case carefully weighed before implementing any
behavior described with this label.
- MAY
- This word or the adjective OPTIONAL, mean that an item is truly
optional. One may choose to include the item because a particular
circumstance requires it or because it causes an interesting
enhancement.
An implementation which does not comply to an OPTIONAL item MUST be
prepared to be transformed to comply at any time.