PE> Presumably for the same reason you break common practice WRT the
PE> tear line.

ml> maybe you presume too much? your blinders are covering your eyes lately...

PE> specify the format.  BOTH control lines are compulsory (there is no
PE> safer interpretation of "complete compatibility").

ml> compatibility with WHAT ?? what is it (confmail, since that is where these 
ml> docs came from) trying to be compatible with? 

FTS-4 is the standard, not user-docs.  If that text had remained as
user-docs for confmail, I wouldn't even be reading it.

ml> if you do not know for sure, 
ml> then don't say anything... OB-)

If YOU don't know for sure, take the most conservative route.

ml> i don't know and i can't even begin to speculate on it...

But decide it's OK to ignore the "complete compatibility" in
FTS-4 anyway. I'm not saying that's any worse than the person leaving out
origin lines. I'm not saying it's any better, either.  BFN.  Paul. 
@EOT:

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