RFC 2223 (rfc2223) - Page 2 of 20
Instructions to RFC Authors
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 2223 Instructions to RFC Authors October 1997
1. Introduction
This Request for Comments (RFC) provides information about the
preparation of RFCs, and certain policies relating to the publication
of RFCs.
The RFC series of notes covers a broad range of interests. The core
topics are the Internet and the TCP/IP protocol suite. However, any
topic related to computer communication may be acceptable at the
discretion of the RFC Editor.
Memos proposed to be RFCs may be submitted by anyone. One large
source of memos that become RFCs is the Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF). The IETF working groups (WGs) evolve their working
memos (known as Internet Drafts or I-Ds) until they feel they are
ready for publication, then the memos are reviewed by the Internet
Engineering Steering Group (IESG), and if approved sent by the IESG
to the RFC Editor.
Most of the memos submitted to the RFC Editor from independent
sources will be reviewed by the IESG for possible relationship to
work in progress in the IETF Working Groups.
RFCs are distributed online by being stored as public access files,
and a short message is sent to the distribution list indicating the
availability of the memo.
The online files are copied by the interested people and printed or
displayed at their site on their equipment. This means that the
format of the online files must meet the constraints of a wide
variety of printing and display equipment. (RFCs may also be
returned via e-mail in response to an e-mail query, or RFCs may be
found using information and database searching tools such as Gopher,
Wais, or the World Wide Web (WWW).
RFCs have been traditionally published and continue to be published
in ASCII text.
While the primary RFCs is always an ASCII text file, secondary or
alternative versions of RFC may be provided in PostScript. This
decision is motivated by the desire to include diagrams, drawings,
and such in RFCs. PostScript documents (on paper only, so far) are
visually more appealing and have better readability.
PostScript was chosen for the fancy form of RFC publication over
other possible systems (e.g., impress, interpress, oda) because of
the perceived wide spread availability of PostScript capable
printers.
Postel & Reynolds Informational