006.txt (1161B) [raw]
1 What's in a RFC? [2021-11-10] 2 ------------------------------------------------------- 3 4 I've always idealized the RFC process of the IETF as 5 a way to effectively run a distributed project. And 6 it is, but it's *way* more complex and intricate than 7 I originally thought. This note serves to share some 8 of my findings. 9 10 The biggest surprise was that RFC's can't just be 11 published. You have to send them to the "RFC Editor"! 12 This person can make minor edits and, at their 13 discretion, broadcast the document. When the process 14 first started, these were physical documents! 15 16 RFC's begin life as Internet Drafts, where they are 17 iterated on, but there's no guarantee you _do_ get 18 published as an RFC (let alone an Internet Standard). 19 20 And I suppose that's the disconnect between what I 21 envisioned (mailing list participants just asking for 22 feedback) and what reality is (a formal process with 23 a publisher, with gated entry). It's both "open" in 24 the sense that the publications can be redistributed, 25 but "closed" in the sense that the Editor decides 26 what makes the cut. It feels less community-oriented 27 than I expected; more formal. 28 29 Just my 2c.