[rfc-i] Citing internet drafts

[Julian Reschke <[e-mail]>]

Hi there,

I just saw
<https://trac.tools.ietf.org/tools/xml2rfc/trac/changeset/3263>, which
in turn mentions draft-flanagan-7322bis-03.

<https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-flanagan-7322bis-03#section-4.8.6.4>
says:

> 4.8.6.4.  Referencing Internet-Drafts
>
>    References to Internet Drafts may only appear as informative
>    references.  Given that several revisions of an I-D may be produced
>    in a short time frame, references must include the posting date
>    (month and year), the full Internet-Draft file name (including the
>    version number), and the phrase "Internet Draft".  Authors may
>    reference multiple versions of an I-D.  If the referenced I-D was
>    also later published as an RFC, then that RFC must also be listed.
>
>    [SYMBOLIC-TAG]  Last name, First initial., Ed. (if applicable) and
>    First initial.  Last name, Ed. (if applicable), "I-D Title", Internet
>    Draft, draft-string-NN, Month Year.
>
>    Example:
>
>    [RFC-STYLE] Flanagan, H. and S.  Ginoza, "RFC Style Guide", Internet
>    Draft, draft-flanagan-style-01, June 2013.

This is a change from 7322, which had
(<https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7322#section-4.8.6.4>):

> 4.8.6.4.  Referencing Internet-Drafts
>
>    References to Internet-Drafts may only appear as informative
>    references.  Given that several revisions of an I-D may be produced
>    in a short time frame, references must include the posting date
>    (month and year), the full Internet-Draft file name (including the
>    version number), and the phrase "Work in Progress".  Authors may
>    reference multiple versions of an I-D.  If the referenced I-D was
>    also later published as an RFC, then that RFC must also be listed.
>
>       [SYMBOLIC-TAG]  Last name, First initial., Ed. (if applicable)
>                       and First initial. Last name, Ed. (if
>                       applicable), "I-D Title", Work in Progress,
>                       draft-string-NN, Month Year.
>
>      Example:
>
>       [RFC-STYLE] Flanagan, H. and S. Ginoza, "RFC Style Guide",
>                   Work in Progress, draft-flanagan-style-01,
>                   June 2013.

I personally find this an improvement, but two questions come to mind:

1.) When is this change supposed to go in effect?

2.) Isn't this in conflict with today's Internet Draft boilerplate, wich
clearly says: 'It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."'. Is that
clause going to change as well?

Best regards, Julian
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