Hi all,
If an author becomes unavailable after the document has entered the RFC
Editor queue, the typical options are the following (quoted from the
rfc-editor.org website [1]):
1. The author can be removed as an author and moved to the
Acknowledgements section.
2. The author can be removed as an author and moved to the
Contributors section.
3. A stream manager can approve the document in place of the
unavailable author. (See the IESG Statement on AUTH48 State.)
Option 3 is typically used in instances where the missing author
made significant contributions to the document, so the other
authors are not comfortable removing the individual from the
author list.
The RFC Style Guide states that the determination of who should be
listed as an author or editor is made by the stream [2]. The RFC Style
Guide goes on to say that authors and editors "are the individuals that
must sign off on the document during the AUTH48 process and respond to
inquiries, such as errata."
Best regards,
Jean Mahoney
RFC Production Center
[1] https://www.rfc-editor.org/faq/#missingauthor
[2] https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc7322#section-4.1.1
On 7/24/25 3:15 PM, Carsten Bormann wrote:
+1
Some tactfulness is required for the case of deceased main authors.
The necessary discussions for this case can be coordinated by the RSCE.
Grüße, Carsten
On Jul 24, 2025, at 15:11, Alexander PELOV <alexander.pelov@imt-
atlantique.fr> wrote:
+1
Alexander
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*De: *"Michael Richardson" <mcr+ietf@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
*À: *ietf@xxxxxxxx
*Envoyé: *Jeudi 24 Juillet 2025 15:01:57
*Objet: *Re: On authors, former authors, and so on
Perhaps the right answer is that for -bis documents, that, having
polled the
previous authors, if they want to continue to be listed, that the 5-author
rule be regularly waived. On a -bis-bis (a "-ter"), maybe the process
is not
transitive. (Been there with rfc8415bis, which is rfc3315ter)
But, let the IESG judge/decide at time of publication in consultation with
the RFC editor. Tell the WGs not to sweat the problem during I-D
developement. Just list everyone until IESG stage.
I don't think we'll get into three pages of authors common in my other
scientific realms, such as high-energy physics.
--
Michael Richardson <mcr+IETF@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Sandelman Software Works
-= IPv6 IoT consulting =- *I*LIKE*TRAINS*
