Subject: [Techspec] Summary of referencing by external org discussions and proposals

From: "Stephen Hayes (TX/EUS)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:16:21 -0600

The issue was which mechanisms to use to allow external organizations to reference IETF specs.

The mechanisms proposed were:
 1. expedited handling
 2. early allocation of permanent, stable IDs
 3. getting documents published in a timely manner

Situations will arise where publication of a document will be delayed (such as for pending references) [mechanism 3].  In this case it is inappropriate to publicize a permanent, stable ID since the IETF cannot guarantee the document will be published soon [mechanism 2].  However in this case expedited handling will not work either [mechanism 1].  So there are just some cases, where the IETF cannot get the document out in time.

Expedited document handling is however probably needed for a while at least until the methodology for early allocation of permanent IDs is established.

There was also discussion of what the stable ID was and if it could be used to identify a document throughout its lifecycle from draft to published RFC.  This was not the intent of the permanent, stable ID.  From the view of the outside world, RFCs are the stable identifiers for IETF publications and there needs to be a significant reason to change this.  Tracing of a document throughout it's life cycle can be done without having a constant identifier from begin to end.

Recommendations:

1. All 3 requirements are kept, however expedited handling is kept to allow a transition to early allocation of permanent stable IDs.

2. The phasing out of expedited handling is recommended

3. Allocation of permanent IDs should have an exclusion for documents held up due to references or due to a protocol action.
Stephen

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