> Appendix A: Is this normative? If not should it use RFC 2119 language? > > Appendix B: Is this normative? If not should it use RFC 2119 language? > In particular...
Elwyn; First of all, thanks for another very through and well-done review. I just have one comment with regard to the use of RFC2119 language in appendices. I agree that it is important that the document be very clear whether the appendices are normative or not. To me this seems particularly important wrt Appendix A, which looks to me like it might be normative. Appendix B (of the version -15) starts off stating: This appendix describes the intended usage of message header fields including their content and use. Alternative uses of this specification are permitted. Which seems to indicate that alternate uses are okay, so it sort of looks like appendix B is non-normative (but it would be good to make this clear). The IESG has on more than one occasion discussed the issue of RFC2119 Language in informational and experimental RFCs. The result is clear: RFC2119 language is permitted in informational and experimental RFCs. Thus, if the RFC says you "MUST do X", then this is interpreted in the context of the status of the RFC: If an experimental RFC specifying the foobar protocol says "MUST do X", then you must do X if you want to conform with the experimental foobar protocol, but you don't have to conform to the foobar protocol. I don't recall having discussions regarding the use of RFC2119 language in informational appendices. However, I would expect that we would use the same approach: If the appendix is non-normative, then you don't have to implement nor conform to whatever is in the appendix in order to conform to the main protocol. However, if you want to say that you conform to the appendix, then you MUST do those things that are listed as MUST. Thus at least my interpretation of the discussions that we have had in the IESG suggests that since RFC2119 language is permitted in informational documents, it most likely should also be permitted in informational appendices. Thanks, Ross _______________________________________________ Gen-art mailing list Gen-art@ietf.org https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/gen-art
