An Official Protocol Mechanism

During the Spring Joint Computer Conference in Atlantic City, Larry Roberts, Barry Wessler, Cordell Green, Jon Postel and I discussed rules for establishing and modifying an official Host-Host protocol.

The following decisions were made:

1. A new set of documents will be created. This set of documents will specify the official Host-Host protocol. When it becomes appropriate, these documents will be maintained at the Network Information Center on SRI's computer.

2. I will distribute proposals for the initial version of the official protocol and all subsequent changes as NWG/RFC's. These proposals will be formulated from suggestions made by any interested parties.

3. After a proposal for a change in the official protocol has been issued as an NWG/RFC, networkers are requested to respond with approval, criticism, etc. A cutoff date will be included with each protocol.

4. After the cutoff date, one of two situations will prevail. Either the proposal will have been substantially accepted by the network community, or substantial criticism will have been generated. In the latter case, the process stops and no change occurs to the official protocol.

5. If the proposal has been substantially accepted, the proposal, together with its minor revisions will be forwarded to the ARPA office. Barry Wessler or his successor will then either approve or disapprove the whole proposal. His decision will be returned to me by letter.

6. After the ARPA office approves the proposal, I will send out the new protocol (as mentioned in item 1 above).

The first version of an official protocol will be proferred this month.

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[ into the online RFC archives by Kathy de Graaf 2/98 ]