How to pay $47 for a copy of RFC 793

Bob Braden <braden@isi.edu> Sun, 08 May 2011 22:12 UTC

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Date: Sun, 08 May 2011 15:06:59 -0700
From: Bob Braden <braden@isi.edu>
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Subject: How to pay $47 for a copy of RFC 793
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I just discovered an astonishing example of misinformation, shall we 
say, in the IEEE electric power community. There is an IEEE standards 
document C37.118, entitled (you don't care) "IEEE Standard for 
Synchrophasors for Power Systems C37-118(TM)-2005", which is currently 
of great importance for the instrumentation of the national power grid. 
I just noticed that it references RFC 793, and for curiosity looked to 
see how it was referenced. I found:

    [B8] RFC 793-1981,Transmission Control Protocol DARPA Internet 
Program Protocol Specification.[12]

OK so far, except maybe for the DARPA part. Now look at footnote 12:

    12   RFC standards are available from Global Engineering Documents, 
15 Inverness Way East, Englewood, CO 80112, USA (http://global.ihs.com/).

Going to that web site, you find:

*RFC 793* *- Complete Document*
*Revision / Edition: 81    Chg:    Date: 09/00/81 *
TRANSMISSION CONTROL PROTOCOL DARPA INTERNET PROGRAM PROTOCOL SPECIFICATION


*Comments:* 	
*Superseding Document:* 	
*Page Count:* 	90
*In Stock:* 	Yes
*Hardcopy Price:* 	* $ 47.00 * 	Add to Cart 
<http://global.ihs.com/shopping_cart.cfm?currency_code=USD&customer_id=21254C2B2E0A&shopping_cart_id=2925583B2B4B30204E5B5D37220A&rid=Z56&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&mid=5280&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&country_code=US&lang_code=ENGL&item_s_key=00123981&item_key_date=180331&electronic_delivery=N&shopping_cart_action=insert&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&input_doc_title=&origin=> 



and:

Customers who purchased *RFC 793* have also purchased
	EIA-748 
<http://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?currency_code=USD&customer_id=21254C2B2E0A&shopping_cart_id=2925583B2B4B30204E5B5D37220A&rid=Z56&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&mid=5280&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&country_code=US&lang_code=ENGL&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&input_doc_title=&item_s_key=00280332&item_key_date=920531&origin=DSSC> 
: EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
	IETF RFC 2460 
<http://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?currency_code=USD&customer_id=21254C2B2E0A&shopping_cart_id=2925583B2B4B30204E5B5D37220A&rid=Z56&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&mid=5280&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&country_code=US&lang_code=ENGL&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&input_doc_title=&item_s_key=00503465&item_key_date=010031&origin=DSSC> 
: INTERNET PROTOCOL, VERSION 6 (IPV6) SPECIFICATION
	RFC 768 
<http://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?currency_code=USD&customer_id=21254C2B2E0A&shopping_cart_id=2925583B2B4B30204E5B5D37220A&rid=Z56&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&mid=5280&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&country_code=US&lang_code=ENGL&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&input_doc_title=&item_s_key=00122904&item_key_date=190403&origin=DSSC> 
: USER DATAGRAM PROTOCOL
	RFC 791 
<http://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?currency_code=USD&customer_id=21254C2B2E0A&shopping_cart_id=2925583B2B4B30204E5B5D37220A&rid=Z56&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&mid=5280&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&country_code=US&lang_code=ENGL&input_doc_number=RFC%20793&input_doc_title=&item_s_key=00122565&item_key_date=180331&origin=DSSC> 
: INTERNET PROTOCOL DARPA INTERNET PROGRAM PROTOCOL SPECIFICATION


Now, it has always been IETF's (and even before there was an IETF, Jon 
Postel's) policy to allow people to sell RFCs. What astonishes me is 
that clever people in the IEEE don't know RFCs are available free 
online. I guess RFCs remain so counter-cultural that industrial types 
don't get it. I wonder how many other IEEE standards contain similar 
RFC-for-pay references..

Bob Braden