As with all endings, every side of the story
has their own perceptions of what’s happened. I want to
share my thinking and perceptions behind my decision not
to renew my contract as RSE at the end of this year.
My view for the RFC Series is one that
supports making available high-quality technical
documents by and for the Internet, from a variety of
sources. My view for the RFC Editor is one that
supports a technology-neutral but highly skilled
partner in the process. The RFC Series Editor
represents those views in an equal role to the various
stream managers. The IETF is the RFC Editor’s biggest
client, so the collaboration between the organizations
is critical. But it needs to *be* a collaboration,
where both sides respect the skills and knowledge of
the other. It is not a subordinate relationship, where
the RFC Editor is simply a group offering services are
useful but not truly critical. It is also not a
relationship where the strategy and decisions for the
Series itself are dictated by IETF leadership.
Over the last year, I’ve seen the
rfcplusplus BoF happen, against my recommendation. My
oversight committee, which is a group that I must work
with most closely, was almost completely replaced
without any input from me. I have what essentially
acts as a design team, the RFC Series Advisory Group.
They generally aren’t consulted either. The RSOC/IAB
is pushing hard on the missed SLA, not acknowledging
that statements were made (with full support and
understanding of earlier leadership cohorts) on
plenary stage and in meetings that the SLA would be
missed as the format tool testing and transition
ramped up. And then I see the new RSOC completely
ignore the learnings of the first and second RFPs for
the RSE role, and make recommendations again without
input from people who have experience with the
process. With all that said, RSOC/IAB have done
nothing that they aren’t allowed to do in their
various charters. But if that’s the way the
organization is going to be run, I don’t feel like I’m
at all a good fit for how business is handled. I
would rather find other ways I can be effective in
helping to do my part in improving the Internet.
My interpretation of events of the last
year as described above, culminating with the decision
to put the RSE contract out to bid at year four
instead of year six, is that my view for the RFC
Series and the RFC Editor are not aligned with the
expectations of the IETF leadership. At the end of the
day, I am a contractor, and what I see here is a
relationship with a client that is unhappy with my
performance, but they can’t or won’t tell me why.
Rather than drag this out, I think it’s best to let
the client go, and the communities that depend on the
RFC Series can decide what it is they really want in
an RFC Series Editor.
I will do
what I can, within reason, to ensure a smooth
transition to a new RSE. And I will be in Montreal
and Singapore, where I hope to tell many of you in
person just how much I’ve enjoyed working with you
over the last seven years. Thank you for the well
wishes, and best of fortunes into the next stage of
evolution for the IETF and the RFC Editor!
