RFC 1539 (rfc1539) - Page 1 of 22
The Tao of IETF - A Guide for New Attendees of the Internet Engineering Task Force
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group G. Malkin
Request for Comments: 1539 Xylogics, Inc.
Obsoletes: 1391 October 1993
FYI: 17
Category: Informational
The Tao of IETF
A Guide for New Attendees of the Internet Engineering Task Force
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is
unlimited.
Abstract
Over the last two years, the attendance at Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF) Plenary meetings has grown phenomenally. Approximately
38% of the attendees are new to the IETF at each meeting. About 33%
of those go on to become regular attendees. When the meetings were
smaller, it wasn't very difficult for a newcomer to get to know
people and get into the swing of things. Today, however, a newcomer
meets many more new people, some previously known only as the authors
of Request For Comments (RFC) documents or thought provoking email
messages.
The purpose of this For Your Information (FYI) RFC is to explain to
the newcomers how the IETF works. This will give them a warm, fuzzy
feeling and enable them to make the meeting more productive for
everyone. This FYI will also provide the mundane bits of information
which everyone who attends an IETF meeting should know.
Acknowledgments
The IETF Secretariat is made up of the following people: Steve Coya
(Executive Director of the IETF), Cynthia Clark, Lois Keiper, Debra
Legare, John Stewart, and Megan Davies Walnut. These are the people
behind the Registration Table, and the success, of the IETF meetings.
I thank them for their hard work, and for their input and review of
this document. Thanks also to Vinton Cerf, Christian Huitema, and
Jon Postel for their review and comments. And, as always, special
thanks to April Marine and Joyce Reynolds.
Internet Engineering Task Force
