A Process Experiment in Normative Reference Handling

[Brian E Carpenter <[e-mail]>]

It would be very interesting to have WG Chair feedback on
draft-klensin-norm-ref-00.txt

Good idea? Bad idea?

      Brian

Abstract

    The IETF and RFC Editor have a long-standing rule that a document at
    a given maturity level cannot be published until all documents it
    references as normative are at that maturity level or higher.  This
    rule has sometimes resulted in very long publication delays for
    documents and some claims that it was a major obstruction to
    advancing documents in maturity level.  The IETF agreed to a way to
    bypass this rule with RFC 3967.  This document proposes a one-year
    process experiment in which the "hold on normative reference" rule
    will be replaced by a "note downward normative reference and move on"
    approach.