Internet Engineering Task Force S. Harris INTERNET-DRAFT Merit Network 27 August 1999 IETF Discussion List Charter Status of this Memo This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with all provisions of Section 10 of RFC2026. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet- Drafts. Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress." The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at http://www.ietf.org/ietf/1id-abstracts.txt. The list of Internet-Draft Shadow Directories can be accessed at http://www.ietf.org/shadow.html. NOTE: This document represents a snapshot of the policies and procedures it covers as of its date of publication. These policies and procedures are subject to change and such change takes effect upon their approval. All changes are to be managed according to the process used for approving Working Group charters as specified by BCP 25. Abstract The IETF discussion mailing list furthers the development and specification of Internet technology through discussion of technical issues, and hosts discussions of IETF direction, policy, meetings, and procedures. As this is the most general IETF mailing list, considerable latitude is allowed. Advertising, whether to solicit business or promote employment opportunities, falls well outside the range of acceptable topics, as do discussions of a personal nature. Harris [Page 1] INTERNET-DRAFT IETF Discussion List Charter August 1999 1. Charter for the IETF Discussion List The IETF discussion list serves two purposes. It furthers the development and specification of Internet technology through discussion of technical issues. It also hosts discussions of IETF direction, policy, meetings, and procedures. As this is the most general IETF mailing list, considerable latitude is allowed. Advertising, whether to solicit business or promote employment opportunities, falls well outside the range of acceptable topics, as do discussions of a personal nature. This list is meant for initial discussion only. Discussions that fall within the area of any working group or well established list should be moved to such more specific forum as soon as this is pointed out, unless the issue is one for which the working group needs wider input or direction. In addition to the topics noted above, appropriate postings include: - Last Call discussions of proposed protocol actions - Discussion of technical issues that are candidates for IETF work, but do not yet have an appropriate e-mail venue - Discussion of IETF administrative policies - Questions and clarifications concerning IETF meetings - Announcements of conferences, events, or activities that are sponsored or endorsed by the Internet Society or IETF. Inappropriate postings include: - Unsolicited bulk e-mail - Discussion of subjects unrelated to IETF policy, meetings, activities, or technical concerns - Unprofessional commentary, regardless of the general subject. The IETF Chair, the IETF Executive Director, or a sergeant-at-arms appointed by the Chair is empowered to restrict posting by a person, or of a thread, when the content is inappropriate and represents a pattern of abuse. They are encouraged to take into account the overall nature of the postings by an individual and whether particular postings are an aberration or typical. Complaints regarding their decisions should be referred to the IAB. Acknowledgements Comments by Donald E. Eastlake 3rd and other members of the IETF POISSON working group are gratefully acknowledged. Harris [Page 2] INTERNET-DRAFT IETF Discussion List Charter August 1999 Author's Address Susan R. Harris Merit Network, Inc. 4251 Plymouth Rd., Suite C Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2785 Phone: (734) 936-2100 Fax: (734) 647-3185 Email: srh@merit.edu Harris [Page 3]