Explore the intricacies of DSCP, TOS, and ECN bits in the Linux kernel through this informative conference talk. Delve into the historical context, conflicting interpretations, and messy implementation of these networking concepts. Examine the problem at hand, including IPv6 masks and user-visible consequences. Learn about practical examples, IP rules, and DHCP types. Analyze the drawbacks of current approaches and consider more flexible alternatives. Gain valuable insights into networking protocols and their implementation in the Linux kernel, concluding with a comprehensive overview of the challenges and potential solutions in this complex area of network programming.