[dmarc-ietf] Re: Proposed Recharter to Conclude the ARC Experiment

[Dotzero <[e-mail]>]

On Sun, Feb 1, 2026 at 1:47 PM Seth Blank <[e-mail]> wrote:

> At this point, the charter is at its end. Personally, hearing from Richard
> and Bron (and some private messages directly to me), I'm more comfortable
> now moving ARC to obsolete/historic prior to a successor like DKIM2 being
> published.
>
> Really the question now seems to be about choosing one of three paths:
> 1. Take this document on now in a rechartered DMARC WG to conclude ARC.
> 2. Shutter DMARC WG as intended, and take on this document via AD
> sponsorship or some other more directed approach.
> 3. Let this document be published with DKIM2 as part of a cluster of
> documents concluding ARC are shifting to DKIM2 as explicit successor.
>
> So far, as Chair, I'm hearing several people ask for [1], and not much on
> [2] or [3].
>
> Seth
>

After reading Trent's original post and the various responses in this
thread, I support option 3 (or some variation of it). My thinking is as
follows. We are being told the ARC experiment is over and the only purpose
in rechartering this group is to declare ARC obsolete. That DKIM2 will
supersede and obsolete ARC. Note the future tense. Yet there is not yet
publicly available running code for DKIM2.Several people have expressed
that there is some value to ARC. The proper way to conclude the experiment
would be for data and arguments, both pro and con, to be presented to a
working group and for the working group to adopt or write the concluding
document.

I see no compelling reason for a rush to recharter this group to conclude
the ARC experiment. Let the DKIM working group complete it's efforts on
DKIM2 Once that work is completed, the DKIM working group can recharter and
conclude the ARC experiment based on DKIM2 superseding ARC. This is the
most appropriate path forward.

Michael Hammer