On 01/03/11 21:02, John R Pierce wrote: > On 03/01/11 11:51 AM, Always Learning wrote: >> >>> 4 hex digits vs. 1-3 decimal digits provides adequate disambiguation. >> 1:2:3:4 or 1.2.3.4 ? Each segment of the former is a valid 'decimal' >> number and also a valid 'hexadecimal' number. Each segment of the later >> is a valid decimal number. > except thats not a valid ipv6 address, it has too few components. > > 1:2::3:4 would be (implying 1:2:0:0:0:0:3:4). if you used '.' as your > seperator, 1.2..3.4 would be too, and its distinguishable from ipv4 due > to the .. Until you then need to support this syntax: 2001::10.2.2.191 '.' might be a good separator, but for the vast variety of writing addresses which IPv6 supports ... and that it is a different protocol from IPv4, I'm glad the separator is different. ':' might not be ideal, but I find it a lot better than a lot of other alternatives. Anyway, the standard is settled, and it has been available for over 15 years ... it's too late to change it in IPv6. kind regards, David Sommerseth.