Bob Braden writes:
There should be no problem getting pre-1998 authors to sign such a document, since it merely memorializes in modern legalese the implicit agreement between authors and the RFC Editor since the beginning of time. In the less legally-toxic atmosphere of the time, authors were simply assumed to agree with the announced IPR policy (called something like "Copyright Story", authored by Jon Postel, and available on the RFC Editor web site for as long as I can remember. As an early RFC author, I certainly ASSUMED the contents of your license statement, and I assume that other authors did as well.
I'm on the other end of the spectrum - I wrote most of a single RFC in 1995-6 and have no memory of ever seeing the "Copyright Story". (I wrote the original draft text, Paul Vixie graciously took over at some point, when my wrists gave up, and the result was published in October 1996.)
I assume most/all IETF regulars at the time knew the Copyright Story. But tourists like myself could also publish RFCs, and I wouldn't jump to conclusions about their/our agreeing with the unstated agreement.
Arnt _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf