Subject: Draft: IETF listing of open source implementations of IETF specs

From: Dave Crocker <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1999 12:41:42 +0800

Folks,

 From the discussion on the IETF list, some rather clear points of 
consensus seem to have emerged.  The two that I discern the easiest are:

1.  It would be quite useful to list references to open source implementations

2.  Concerns about implied IETF "endorsement" of those implementations, and 
other matters of procedure, require that any such listing mechanism be 
specified VERY carefully.

Here is some draft text which tries to permit the mechanism, while 
attending to the concerns.

I ain't a lawyer and hope that responses to the following will be improved 
and additional language.

The goal, in the following, is to make the IETF mechanism simple and, well, 
mechanical.  It does not require any particular origination or location for 
the software, but does require availability.  It also tries to keep the 
requirement for open source, but treats the term as simplistically as possible.

Open Source IETF Implementations
--------------------------------

Creation of "open source" implementations of IETF specifications is often a 
major contribution to development of support and success for IETF 
standards.  The decision to create such  implementations, and the effort to 
create and maintain them, is entirely through private means, outside the 
IETF.  Without endorsing or certifying such software, but in the interest 
of assisting access to open source software for IETF specifications, the 
IETF will maintain a listing of such software.

Listings will be based on the same information template as is used by the 
IESG for documenting interoperable implementations, except that a URL to 
the source code must be supplied.

Software will be listed which:

a)  Purports to implement IETF specifications having reached a status of 
Draft Standard, or better

b)  Is made available by an organization which agrees to long-term, on-line 
availability to the source

c)  Permits direct use of the software for research and education, at no charge

d/

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