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RFC 72 - Proposed Moratorium on Changes to Network Protocol

  • Status: Unknown
  • Published: September 28, 1970
  • Stream: Legacy
  • Errata: No Errata

Document Information​

  • RFC Number: 72
  • Title: Proposed Moratorium on Changes to Network Protocol
  • Authors: Robert D. Bressler (M.I.T./Project MAC)
  • Date: September 28, 1970
  • Category: Unknown

Abstract​

RFC 72 replies to Bill Crowther's RFC 67 by arguing that the marking question is only a symptom of a more fundamental problem: any change to the protocol that is already in place forces matching changes in host and IMP hardware and software development, work that in some cases has been going on for more than six months and that in the case of Multics has already produced complete programs or programs in advanced debugging. It therefore proposes a moratorium of about six months — or however long it takes to get the system running and to observe its behaviour — on changes that affect only efficiency or ease of implementation, while still allowing major design problems and extensions to be brought forward for consideration. It observes that once an idea is raised it is modified many times before everyone agrees, so that each new suggestion could retard program development by months, and that any currently agreed issue may be reopened once full-scale testing begins. It suggests that later proposals be circulated under a title such as "Proposal for Post-Moratorium Changes to ..." so that they are understood to be for discussion rather than immediate implementation.

Table of Contents​