INTERNET-DRAFT S. Moonesamy, Ed.
Obsoletes: 3184 (if approved)
Intended Status: Best Current Practice
Expires: March 22, 2014 September 18, 2013
IETF Guidelines for Conduct
draft-moonesamy-ietf-conduct-3184bis-02
Abstract
This document provides a set of guidelines for personal interaction
in the Internet Engineering Task Force. The Guidelines recognize the
diversity of IETF participants, emphasize the value of mutual
respect, and stress the broad applicability of our work.
Status of this Memo
This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.
Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that
other groups may also distribute working documents as
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The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at
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Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2013 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
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This document may contain material from IETF Documents or IETF
Contributions published or made publicly available before November
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Without obtaining an adequate license from the person(s) controlling
the copyright in such materials,this document may not be modified
outside the IETF Standards Process, and derivative works of it may
not be created outside the IETF Standards Process, except to format
it for publication as an RFC or to translate it into languages other
than English.
1. Introduction
The work of the IETF relies on collaboration among a diverse range of
people, ideas, and communication styles. The Guidelines for Conduct
inform our interaction as we work together to develop interoperable
technologies for the Internet. All IETF participants aim to abide by
these Guidelines as we build consensus in person and through email
discussions. If conflicts arise they are resolved according to the
procedures outlined in RFC 2026 [RFC2026].
2. Principles of Conduct
1. IETF participants extend respect and courtesy to their colleagues
at all times.
IETF participants come from diverse origins and backgrounds and
are equipped with multiple capabilities and ideals. Regardless of
these individual differences, participants treat their colleagues
with respect as persons especially when it is difficult to agree
with them. Seeing from another's point of view is often revealing
even when it fails to be compelling.
English is the de facto language of the IETF. However, it is not
the native language of many IETF participants. All participants,
particularly those with English as a first language, attempt to
accommodate the needs of other participants by communicating
clearly. When faced with English that is difficult to understand
IETF participants make a sincere effort to understand each other
and engage in conversation to clarify what was meant.
2. IETF participants discuss ideas impersonally without finding fault
with the person proposing the idea.
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We dispute ideas by using reasoned argument rather than through
intimidation or personal attack. Or, to say it differently:
Cool off, take the intensity out of the discussion and try to
provide data and facts for your standpoints so the rest of the
participants who are sitting on the sidelines watching the
fireworks can form an opinion [SQPA].
3. IETF participants devise solutions for the Internet that meet the
needs of diverse technical and operational environments.
The goal of the IETF is to maintain and enhance a working,
viable, scalable, global Internet, and the problems we
encounter are genuinely very difficult. We understand that
"scaling is the ultimate problem" and that many ideas quite
workable in the small fail this crucial test.
IETF participants use their best engineering judgment to find
the best solution for the whole Internet, not just the best
solution for any particular network, technology, vendor, or
user. While we all have ideas that may stand improvement from
time to time, no one shall ever knowingly contribute advice or
text that would make a standard technically inferior.
4. Individuals are prepared to contribute to the ongoing work of the
group.
IETF participants read the relevant Internet-Drafts, RFCs, and
email archives beforehand, in order to familiarize themselves
with the technology under discussion. This may represent a
challenge when attending a new working group without knowing
the history of longstanding Working Group debates. Information
about a working group including its charter and milestones is
available on the IETF Tools web site [TOOLS] or from the
working group chair.
3. Security Considerations
Guidelines about IETF conduct do not affect the security of the
Internet in any way.
4. Acknowledgements
Most of the text in this document is based on RFC 3184 which was
written by Susan Harris. The author would like to acknowledge that
this document would not exist without her contribution. Mike O'Dell
wrote the first draft of the Guidelines for Conduct, and many of his
thoughts, statements, and observations are included in this version.
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Many useful editorial comments were supplied by Dave Crocker.
Members of the POISSON Working Group provided many significant
additions to the text.
The author would like to thank Jari Arkko, Dave Crocker, Spencer
Dawkins, Lars Eggert, Adrian Farrel, Stephen Farrell, Eliot Lear,
Barry Leiba, Eduardo A. Suarez and Brian Trammell for contributing
towards the improvement of the document.
5. IANA Considerations
[RFC Editor: please remove this section]
6. References
6.1. Informative References
[RFC2026] Bradner, S., "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision
3", BCP 9, RFC 2026, October 1996.
[TOOLS]
[SQPA]
Appendix A: Reporting transgressions of the guidelines
An individual can report transgressions of the guidelines for conduct
to the IETF Chair or the IESG.
Appendix B: Consequences of transgressing the guidelines
This document does not discuss about measures that can be taken
against a participant transgressing the guidelines for conduct.
RFC 2418 describes a measure where a Working Group Chair has the
authority to refuse to grant the floor to any individual who is
unprepared or otherwise covering inappropriate material, or who, in
the opinion of the Chair is disrupting the Working Group process.
RFC 3683 describes "posting rights" action to remove the posting
rights of an individual. RFC 3934 describes a measure where a Working
Group Chair can suspend posting privileges of a disruptive individual
for a short period of time.
Appendix C: Changes from RFC 3184
o The text about intellectual property guidelines was removed as it
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relates to intellectual property instead of guidelines for
conduct.
o The recommendation that newcomers should not interfere with the
ongoing process in Section 2 was removed as it can be read as
discouraging newcomers from participating in discussions.
o The text about "think globally" was not removed as the meaning was
not clear.
o The text about language was clarified.
7. Author's Address
S. Moonesamy (editor)
76, Ylang Ylang Avenue
Quatres Bornes
Mauritius
Email: sm+ietf@elandsys.com
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