RFC Author Guide: Request for comments on Request for Comments: Instructions to RFC authors

Network Working Group                                          J. Postel
Request for Comments: 1111                                           ISI
Obsoletes: 825                                               August 1989


              Request for Comments on Request for Comments

                      Instructions to RFC Authors

Status of this Memo

   This RFC specifies a standard for the Internet community.  Authors of
   RFCs are expected to adopt and implement this standard.  Distribution
   of this memo is unlimited.

1.  Introduction

   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.  (An RFC may also be
   returned via email in response to an email query.)  This means that
   the format of the online files must meet the constraints of a wide
   variety of printing and display equipment.

2.  Format Rules

   To meet the distribution constraints the following rules are
   established for the two allowed formats for RFCs:  ASCII and
   PostScript.

   The RFC Editor attempts to ensure a consistent RFC style.  To do this
   the RFC Editor may choose reformat the RFC submitted.  It is much
   easier to do this if the submission matches the style of the most
   recent RFCs.  Please do look at some recent RFCs and prepare yours in
   the same style.

   You must submit an editable online document to the RFC Editor.  The
   RFC Editor may require minor changes in format or style and will
   insert the actual RFC number.

   2a.  ASCII Format Rules:

      The character codes are ASCII.

      Each page must be limited to 58 lines followed by a form feed on a
      line by itself.

      Each line must be limited to 72 characters followed by carriage
      return and line feed.

      No overstriking (or underlining) is allowed.

      These "height" and "width" constraints include any headers,
      footers, page numbers, or left side indenting.

      Do not fill the text with extra spaces to provide a straight right
      margin.

      Do not do hyphenation of words at the right margin.

      Do not use footnotes.  If such notes are necessary, put them at
      the end of a section, or at the end of the document.

      Use single spaced text within a paragraph, and one blank line
      between paragraphs.

      RFCs in ASCII Format may be submitted to the RFC Editor in email
      messages (or as online files) in either the finished publication
      format or in NROFF.  If you plan to submit a document in NROFF,
      please consult the RFC Editor first.

   2b.  PostScript Format Rules

   Standard page size is 8 1/2 by 11 inches.

      Margin of 1 inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).

      Main text should have a point size of no less than 10 points with
      a line spacing of 12 points.

      Footnotes and graph notations no smaller than 8 points with a line
      spacing of 9.6 points.

      Three fonts are acceptable: Helvetica, Times Roman and Courier
      Plus their bold-face and italic versions.  These are the three
      standard fonts on most PostScript printers.

      Prepare diagrams and images based on lowest common denominator
      PostScript.  Consider common PostScript printer functionality and
      memory requirements.

      The following PostScript commands should not be used:
      initgraphics, erasepage, copypage, grestoreall, initmatrix,
      initclip, banddevice, framedevice, nulldevice and renderbands.

      These PostScript rules are likely to changed and expanded as
      experience is gained.

      RFCs in PostScript Format may be submitted to the RFC Editor in
      email messages (or as online files).  Since PostScript is not
      editable, an editable source version of the document must also be
      submitted.  If you plan to submit a document in PostScript, please
      consult the RFC Editor first.

3.  Status Statement

   Each RFC must include on its first page the "Status of this Memo"
   section which contains a paragraph describing the intention of the
   RFC.  This section is meant to convey the status granted by the RFC
   Editor and the Internet Activities Board (IAB).  There are several
   reasons for publishing a memo as an RFC, for example, to make
   available some information for interested people, or to begin or
   continue a discussion of an interesting idea, or to make available
   the specification of a protocol.

      The following sample paragraphs may be used to satisfy this
      requirement:

         Proposed Protocol

            This RFC suggests a proposed protocol for the Internet
            community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
            improvements.

         Specification

            This RFC specifies a standard for the Internet community.
            Hosts on the Internet are expected to adopt and implement
            this standard.

         Discussion

            The purpose of this RFC is to focus discussion on particular
            problems in the Internet and possible methods of solution.
            No proposed solutions this document are intended as
            standards for the Internet.  Rather, it is hoped that a
            general consensus will emerge as to the appropriate solution
            to such problems, leading eventually to the adoption of
            standards.

         Information

            This RFC is being distributed to members of the Internet
            community in order to solicit their reactions to the
            proposals contained in it.  While the issues discussed may
            not be directly relevant to the research problems of the
            Internet, they may be interesting to a number of researchers
            and implementers.

         Status

            In response to the need for maintenance of current
            information about the status and progress of various
            projects in the Internet community, this RFC is issued for
            the benefit of community members.  The information contained
            in this document is accurate as of the date of publication,
            but is subject to change.  Subsequent RFCs will reflect such
            changes.

      These paragraphs need not be followed word for word, but the
      general intent of the RFC must be made clear.

4.  Distribution Statement

   Each RFC is to also include a "distribution statement".  In general,
   RFCs have unlimited distribution.  There may be a few cases in which
   it is appropriate to restrict the distribution in some way.

   Typically, the distribution statement will simply be the sentence
   "Distribution of this memo is unlimited." appended to the "Status of
   this Memo" section.

5.  Author's Address

   Each RFC must have at the very end a section giving the author's
   address, including the name and postal address, the telephone number,
   and the Internet email address.

6.  Relation to other RFCs

   Sometimes an RFC adds information on a topic discussed in a previous
   RFC or completely replaces an earlier RFC.  There are two terms used
   for these cases respectively, UPDATES and OBSOLETES.  A document that
   obsoletes an earlier document can stand on its own.  A document that
   merely updates an earlier document cannot stand on its own; it is
   something that must be added to or inserted into the existing
   document, and has limited usefulness independently.  The terms
   SUPERSEDES and REPLACES are no longer used.

   UPDATES

      To be used as a reference from a new item that cannot be used
      alone (i.e., one that supplements a previous document), to refer
      to the previous document.  The newer publication is a part that
      will supplement or be added on to the existing document; e.g., an
      addendum, or separate, extra information that is to be added to
      the original document.

   OBSOLETES

      To be used to refer to an earlier document that is replaced by
      this document.  This document contains either revised information,
      or else all of the same information plus some new information,
      however extensive or brief that new information is; i.e., this
      document can be used alone, without reference to the older
      document.

      For example:

         On the Assigned Numbers RFCs, the term OBSOLETES should be used
         since the new document actually incorporates new information
         (however brief) into the text of existing information and is
         more up-to-date than the older document, and hence, replaces it
         and makes it OBSOLETE.

   In lists of RFCs or the RFC-Index (but not on the RFCs themselves),
   the following may be used with early documents to point to later
   documents.

   OBSOLETED-BY

      To be used to refer to the newer document that replaces the older
      document.

   UPDATED-BY

      To be used to refer to the newer document that adds information to
      the existing, still useful, document.

7. The RFC Editor

   The RFC Editor is Jon Postel.

8.  The RFC Announcement List

   New RFCs are announced to the RFC distribution list maintained by the
   SRI Network Information Center (NIC).  Contact the SRI-NIC to be
   added or deleted from this mailing list by sending an email message
   to RFC-REQUEST@NIC.DDN.MIL.

9.  Obtaining RFCs

   RFCs can be obtained via FTP from NIC.DDN.MIL, with the pathname
   RFC:RFCnnnn.TXT (where "nnnn" refers to the number of the RFC).
   Login with FTP, username ANONYMOUS and password GUEST.

   The NIC also provides an automatic mail service for those sites which
   cannot use FTP.  Address the request to SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL and in
   the subject field of the message indicate the RFC number, as in
   "Subject: RFC nnnn".

   Requests for special distribution (for example, hardcopy) should be
   addressed to either the author of the RFC in question, or to
   NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL.

   Unless specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are
   for unlimited distribution.

   The RFCs may also be obtained from other information centers,
   including the CSNET Information Center (INFO@SH.CS.NET), the NSFNET
   Information Service (INFO@NIS.NSF.NET).

Author's Address

   Jon Postel
   USC Information Sciences Institute
   4676 Admiralty Way
   Marina del Rey, California  90292-6695

   Phone:  213-822-1511

   EMail:  POSTEL@ISI.EDU