RFC 2278 (rfc2278) - Page 1 of 10
IANA Charset Registration Procedures
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group N. Freed
Request for Comments: 2278 Innosoft
BCP: 19 J. Postel
Category: Best Current Practice ISI
January 1998
IANA Charset
Registration Procedures
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998). All Rights Reserved.
1. Abstract
MIME [RFC-2045, RFC-2046, RFC-2047, RFC-2184] and various other
modern Internet protocols are capable of using many different
charsets. This in turn means that the ability to label different
charsets is essential. This registration procedure exists solely to
associate a specific name or names with a given charset and to give
an indication of whether or not a given charset can be used in MIME
text objects. In particular, the general applicability and
appropriateness of a given registered charset is a protocol issue,
not a registration issue, and is not dealt with by this registration
procedure.
2. Definitions and Notation
The following sections define various terms used in this document.
2.1. Requirements Notation
This document occasionally uses terms that appear in capital letters.
When the terms "MUST", "SHOULD", "MUST NOT", "SHOULD NOT", and "MAY"
appear capitalized, they are being used to indicate particular
requirements of this specification. A discussion of the meanings of
these terms appears in [RFC-2119].
Freed & Postel Best Current Practice