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
