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Author's details in RFCs

2002-03-26 10:40:02
Since the RFC Editor has a draft out that will update the instructions to RFC authors (draft-rfc-editor-rfc2223bis-00.txt) this seems a reasonable time to bring up a query.

Section 10 of RFC2223 reads:

10.  Author's Address Section

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


Section 4.11 of the draft reads:

  4.11  Author's Address Section

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


Er, OK, so they're identical :)


But why must the author(s)/editor supply addresses and telephone numbers? And what should an independent author/editor with no affiliation provide? (Please don't tell me they should use their residential details - that's unacceptable.)

I understand that in rare cases the RFC Editor will allow publications with only a persistent email address, but in that case I'm curious as to why we don't just go that route and do away with physically bound points of contact altogether. After all, they don't appear to serve any useful purpose (other than to provide headhunters a number to call).


Answers? Comments? Flames?



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