Re: getaddrinfo: how to wildcard everything?

[Robert Elz <kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost>]

    Date:        Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:50:43 -0400 (EDT)
    From:        Mouse <mouse%Rodents-Montreal.ORG@localhost>
    Message-ID:  <202103200150.VAA06038%Stone.Rodents-Montreal.ORG@localhost>

  | >> 0 for anything special,
  | >  it has been a reserved port number 
  |
  | Is this documented anywhere?

The IANA port registry, where all the assigned
port numbers are listed.  0 is reserved to Postel.

He would never have allowed it to be assigned.
Now everything uses the sockets interface, which
uses port 0 in its API as you know, so no-one
is going to even think about about using it for
something different, it would not work almost
anywhere.

There has been some attempted communication
betwern POSIX and the IETF about whose
responsibility it is to document this, POSIX
specifies the sockets interface, but the IETF
the port number registry (now that Jon is
no longer with us to do it personally).
The IETF (IESG) hasn't responded.  Must chase
them again about that.   All they need to
do is to change it from reserved to Postel
to reserved to Posix (s/tel/ix/) ...
Then the uses of port 0 will be added to
posix.

kre