check CIDR!
classless IP is with us. stop thinking in pure class A B C things. this isn't 10-15 yrs ago, mate.
I can't believe that this is still an open issue.
you have broken code and proven examples of how it screwed over a user. you think that's a Good Thing(tm)?
go talk to a routing company and suggest they put dot1 in their last octet as a router. go see what kind of laughter you get from them.
(I used to work for cisco, juniper and many other networking companies. and I, too, would laugh in your face if you suggested that dot-1 was anything more than some dumb convention that SOME HOME USERS have.)
this shouldn't even be DEBATED. its butt-obvious to anyone who plays in the IP world.
I need to step away, again, it seems. this is too frustrating having to argue about basic IP topology issues to THIS length.
go read a book on ip networking. see how 'frequent' it is that they recommend you just automatically assume a router's ip address. show me some citations - if you can find any.