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draft-kuehlewind-update-tag.md

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title: Re-definition of the Update Tag abbrev: Upadte Tag Definition docname: draft-kuehlewind-update-tag-latest date: category: bcp

ipr: trust200902 keyword: Internet-Draft

stand_alone: yes pi: [sortrefs, symrefs]

author:

ins: M. Kuehlewind
name: Mirja Kuehlewind
org: Ericsson
email: [email protected]

normative:

informative:

--- abstract

In metadata of an RFC can include a tag called "Updates" which can be used to link a new RFC to an existing RFC. On publication of such an RFC, the existing RFC will include an additonal metadata tag called "Updated by" which provides a link to the new RFC. However, this tag pair is not well-defined and therefore it is currently used for multiple different cases, which leads to confusion about the actual meaning of this tag and inconsitency in its use.

This document recommends the discontinuation of the use of the updates/updated by tag pair, and instead proposes three new tag pairs that have well-defined meanings and use cases.

--- middle

Introduction

In metadata of an RFC can include a tag called "Updates" which can be used to link a new RFC to an existing RFC. On publication of such an RFC, the existing RFC will include an additonal metadata tag called "Updated by" which provides a link to the new RFC. However, this tag pair is not well-defined and therefore it is currently used for multiple different cases, which leads to confusion about the actual meaning of this tag and inconsitency in its use.

This document recommends the discontinuation of the use of the updates/updated by tag pair, and instead proposes three new tag pairs that have well-defined meanings and use cases.

New Definitions

Amends/Amended by: This tag pair used with an amending RFC that changes the amended RFC. This could include bug fixes, behavior changes etc. This is intended to specify mandatory changes to the protocol. The goal of this tag pair is to signal to anyone looking to implement the amended RFC that they MUST also implement the amending RFC

Extends/Extended by: This tag pair is used with an extending RFC that defines an optional addition to the extended RFC. This can be used by documents that use existing extension points or clarifications that do not change existing protocol behavior. This signals to implementers and protocol designers that there are changes to the extended RFC that they need to consider but not necessarily implement.

See Also/See Also: This is intended as a catch-all tag where two documents are related loosely but do not fit either of the above categories. The main intention of this tag is to provide a forward reference from the existing RFC to the RFCs that may be of interest to read.

Acknowledgments