Guidelines to Authors of Internet-Drafts

The Internet-Drafts directories are available to provide authors with
the ability to distribute and solicit comments on documents they may
submit as a Request for Comments (RFC). Submissions to the directories
should be sent to ``internet-drafts@cnri.reston.va.us''.

Internet-Drafts are not an archival document series.  These documents
should not be cited or quoted from in any formal document.  Unrevised
documents placed in the Internet-Drafts directories have a maximum life
of six months.  After that time, they must be submitted to the IESG or
the RFC Editor, or they will be deleted.  After a document becomes an
RFC, it will be replaced in the Internet-Drafts Directories with an
announcement to that effect for an additional six months.

Internet-Drafts are generally in the format of an RFC, although it is
expected that the documents may be ``rough'' drafts.  This format is
specified fully in RFC 1543.  In brief, an Internet-Draft shall be
submitted in ASCII text, limited to 72 characters per line and 58 lines
per page followed by a formfeed character.  Overstriking to achieve
underlining is not acceptable.

PostScript is acceptable, but only when submitted with a matching ASCII
version (even if figures must be deleted).  PostScript should be
formatted for use on 8.5x11 inch paper.  If A4 paper is used, an image
area less than 10 inches high should be used to avoid printing extra
pages when printed on 8.5x11 paper.

There are differences between the RFC and Internet-Draft format.  The
Internet-Drafts are NOT RFCs and are NOT a numbered document series.
The words ``INTERNET-DRAFT'' should appear in the upper left hand corner
of the first page.  The document should NOT refer to itself as an RFC or
a draft RFC.

The Internet-Draft should neither state nor imply that it is a Proposed
Standard.  To do so conflicts with the role of the RFC Editor and the
IESG. The title of the document should not infer a status.  Avoid the
use of the terms Standard, Proposed, Draft, Experimental, Historical,
Required, Recommended, Elective, or Restricted in the title of the
Internet-Draft.  All Internet-Drafts should include a section containing
the following verbatim statement:

     This document is an Internet-Draft.  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 Internet-Drafts.

     Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six
     months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other
     documents at any time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-
     Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as
     ``work in progress.''

     To learn the current status of any Internet-Draft, please check
     the ``1id-abstracts.txt'' listing contained in the Internet-
     Drafts Shadow Directories on ds.internic.net (US East Coast),
     nic.nordu.net (Europe), ftp.isi.edu (US West Coast), or
     munnari.oz.au (Pacific Rim).

The document should have an abstract section, containing a two-to-three
paragraph description suitable for referencing, archiving, and
announcing the document.  This abstract will be used in the
1id-abstracts.txt index and in the announcement of the Internet-Draft.
The abstract should follow the ``Status of this Memo'' section.

All Internet-Drafts should contain the full filename (beginning with
draft- and including the version number) in the text of the document.
The filename information should, at a minimum, appear on the first page
(possibly with the title).

For those authors submitting updates to existing Internet-Drafts, the
choice of the file name is easily determined (up the version by 1).  For
new documents, send a message to ``internet-drafts@cnri.reston.va.us''
with the document title, if it is a product of a working group (and the
name of the group), and an abstract.  The file name to be assigned will
be included in a response.  Simply add the filename text to the document
(ASCII and PostScript versions) and submit the Internet-Draft.

A document expiration date must appear on the first and last page of the
Internet-Draft.  The expiration date is always six months following the
submission of the document as an Internet-Draft.  Authors can calculate
the six month period by adding five days to the date when the final
version is completed.  This should be more than enough to cover the time
needed to send the document or notification of the document's
availability to internet-drafts@cnri.reston.va.us.

If the Internet-Draft is lengthy, please include, on the second page, a
table of contents to make the document easier to reference.