proposed charter items for possible URI working group

I've been asked to propose a charter for a possible URI working
group to work on next phase topics. The working group should
be narrowly focused to insure viability and keep us from wandering
into unsolvable problems. For this purpose, I propose the
following items to be in scope:

(1) update RFC 2396 as follows:
   Focus is to be consistent with existing, current widespread
   deployment. The goal is to prepare to move RFC 2396 to
   Standard. (A few exceptions to this noted below.)

   (a) Fix bugs already noted in errata (bugs in the BNF?)
   (b) document variations in current practice, as warnings
       to implementors.
   (c) fold in changes proposed for IPv6 addresses
        (this may not be exactly 'current practice')
   (d) include additional terminology definitions for common
       words used with URIs ('resolution'), and update the
       description of URI/URN/URL language in accordance with
       current usage.



(2) update RFC 2717 (Registration Procedures) and RFC 2718
   (Guidelines for new schemes) to take into account current
   practice.

NOT IN SCOPE

I propose to NOT fold in the IRI definition, but to allow
it to proceed along standards track at its own pace. The
revised URI standard can note the IRI work as a separate
effort.

OTHER TOPICS

I think it would be good to finally 'obsolete' RFC 1738,
but it's necessary to do something, I think, with the
URI scheme definitions that are only documented there:
"file" is used widely but documented correctly nowhere.
"http" was defined in the HTTP spec and "mailto" has its
own RFC, "telnet" is still used, "news" and "gopher"
less so, and I haven't seen a "nttp", "wais" or "prospero"
in years.


I think Roy Fielding has started on some of this update work,
but I haven't heard status in a while. Roy?

Larry

Received on Saturday, 20 July 2002 14:42:12 UTC