[NOTE: It has come to the attention of the IESG that the original Last Call message was posted to the IETF announcements mail list while RFC 3683 specifies that it should have been posted to the general IETF discussion list. To correct for this oversight, this Last Call message is reissued with a new expiry date and posted to the correct mail list as prescribed by RFC 3683.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The IESG received a request from Dave Crocker to take action under RFC 3683 against Dean Anderson. Mr Crocker alleged disruption of the IETF and DNSEXT lists and provided sample emails [4]. In addition, Dean Anderson was recently warned by David Kessens [2], Operations & Management Area Director, that a recent posting on the DNSOP working group mail list was not acceptable after which he responded to the DNSOP list by sending a brief message but with a similar accusation as the one he was warned not to repeat. While these messages alone might not suffice to justify action, Mr Anderson has repeatedly posted, before and since, on these and other IETF lists, messages that refer offensively to individuals or organizations [1]. For a small sample of such messages, we refer to the urls provided at the bottom of this Last Call message. Many of them are off topic for the IETF, since the IETF can only produce general technical recommendations for operators; it may not criticise individual operators or tell them how to conduct their business. We wish to make it clear that quarrels and disagreements between software suppliers, operators and the like have no place in the IETF and must be discussed and settled elsewhere. Although sometimes Mr Anderson's messages address technical topics, this is not enough to excuse the frequent offensiveness. He has been warned to desist from offensive postings multiple times and has often ignored such warnings [2,3]. The IESG therefore proposes to ban Dean Anderson from posting to the main IETF list and to authorize all WG chairs to ban him from posting to their working group lists. This message calls for comments on this proposed action from the IETF, which should be sent to iesg@ietf.org (or ietf@ietf.org) by 12 November 2005. For the IESG, David Kessens Operations & Management Area Director --- Please see below for a sample of abusive behavior on maillists: [1] Personal attack on Bill Strahm and alleges that Rob Austein defames av8 Internet: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37889.html IETF management is accused of harassment and it is stated that Stephen Sprunk is untrustworthy (end of message). In addition, the message implies that David Kessens is the responsible Area Director for dnsext, while this working group is part of the INT area: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37931.html Dean uses a very unpleasant tone to make it clear to David Kessens that he doesn't agree with him and adds another attack by twisting Steven Bellovin's own words and smearing Steven Bellovin's reputation: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37873.html (Dean apperently referred to: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37557.html) Please see below for a sample of messages that ignore requests to Dean Anderson to stop his disruptive behavior: [2] Example of an attack on a well known organization on the dnsop list: Dean Anderson attacks a well known root name server operator and talks about uncontrolled corruption in the IETF: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~llynch/dnsop/msg03551.html Message by David Kessens to Dean Anderson that warns him not to bring up any issues he apparently has with a well known root name server operator: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~llynch/dnsop/msg03552.html Dean's response in which he reaffirms his accusations towards the well known root name server operator: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~llynch/dnsop/msg03553.html [3] Dean alleges that some IETF participants are liars http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg36027.html Brian Carpenter warns not to continue allegations about liars http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg36034.html Dean continues discussion on the list http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg36087.html [4] Materials provided by Dave Crocker to support his request (IETF and dnsext list): Dean continues to discuss topic that was declared off-topic by working group chair: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37550.html Dave's response on part of Dean's mail: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37554.html Two messages by other participants who continue to discuss Dean's point: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37555.html http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37557.html Personal attack on Dave Crocker (and attack on Paul Vixie) by Dean. In addition his message does not substantiate his earlier claims about IPR: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37560.html Dean launches a personal attack on Steven Bellovin: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg37561.html _______________________________________________ IETF-Announce@ietf.org https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-announce
