I would find this problematic. I often submit in the "final" form because I started in the "final" form. I have no *roff or XML form to submit. --> -----Original Message----- --> From: ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx [mailto:ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx] --> On Behalf Of Henning Schulzrinne --> Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 9:58 AM --> To: Eliot Lear --> Cc: Dave Aronson (re IETF); ietf@xxxxxxxx --> Subject: Re: ASCII art --> --> Let me try a concrete proposal: --> --> - All document editors MUST submit XML format to the RFC editor. --> (Mostly) semantic markup makes a lot more sense than --> presentation mark-up as it makes it possible to translate --> the format into a variety of output formats. This format is --> the long-term archival format, as it seems highly unlikely --> that the world will suddenly forget how to interpret XML in --> any timeframe we care about. The schema/DTD is documented --> in ASCII, so if an alien invaders take over the (IETF) --> world, they can bootstrap, as long as they can figure out English. --> --> - Authors can use Word (or other formats), but must use a --> Word style that makes automatic translation to the 2629 XML --> possible. I don't know enough about Word internals to know --> if Word styles are sufficient to make this possible today, --> but with a bit of semantic mark-up (e.g., surround the --> abstract with tags), this shouldn't be too hard. --> --> - The XML version is made available to the public and is --> the authoritative version, in addition to the traditional --> ASCII version. The XML version can then be used to generate --> more readable and printable versions using XSLT or other --> tools. I suspect generating a PDF version wouldn't be hard, --> either. These presentation formats can then evolve as --> people care to write tools. --> --> - The XML format also allows the use of UTF-8, for use in --> examples, not as normative text. The translation to ASCII --> can automatically insert U+ or other appropriate elements. --> --> - SVG or a subset thereof is authorized for illustrative --> (non-normative) diagrams. The XML schema already supports --> the ability to link alternative renditions of graphics, so --> this requires minimal effort. --> --> I think this would actually put us ahead of standards --> organizations that use presentation-oriented document --> formats that are hard to transform into alternative --> renditions now or in the future. None of the above requires --> a major change in process, rules or procedures. The only --> 'tools' effort would be to create a suitable DOC template. --> Given that converting existing late-stage drafts may be --> onerous, this can be phased in over time. --> --> Henning --> --> _______________________________________________ --> Ietf mailing list --> Ietf@xxxxxxxx --> https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf --> _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf