Re: RFC2119 keywords in registration requirements

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First, I think we have to take the question of whether and when to use 2119 key words into the context of the document we're writing.  BCPs and Informational documents can and do use them, but they use them in somewhat different ways than Standards Track documents do, while still maintaining the spirit of that text you quote from RFC 2119.

Second, I bristle when I see instructions to IANA in the form of "IANA MUST [do this]."  We should not use 2119 key words in registration information in that way.

Third, as instructions to registrants, I think it's absolutely fine to say "you MUST [include this information," and "you SHOULD [include that information]," and so on.  I think that respects the spirit of 2119, in that things are more likely to interoperate if the documentation of registered values is up to snuff.

Barry

On Tuesday, October 29, 2013, Julian Reschke wrote:
On 2013-10-29 21:29, Bradner, Scott wrote:
seems to me to be completely reasonable to say MUST include the number of the RFC that describes
the protocol being registered (for example)

Scott

But then:

6. Guidance in the use of these Imperatives

   Imperatives of the type defined in this memo must be used with care
   and sparingly.  In particular, they MUST only be used where it is
   actually required for interoperation or to limit behavior which has
   potential for causing harm (e.g., limiting retransmisssions)  For
   example, they must not be used to try to impose a particular method
   on implementors where the method is not required for
   interoperability.

To me this indicates that we should keep them out of registrations procedures.

(I also note that the "MUST" in the text I quoted shouldn't been used if the text followed its own advice :-).

Best regards, Julian

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