Session Date/Time: 05 Feb 2024 17:00

RSWG

Summary

The RSWG discussed the status of two draft documents: "RFC 7990 Updates" and "RFC 7997 bis". Key technical discussions revolved around the use of Unicode characters in keywords and tags, the handling of non-breaking hyphens and spaces, and the ongoing debate about whether to embed XML in the PDF version of RFCs. Several decisions and points of consensus were reached regarding these topics.

Key Discussion Points

Administrative Issues:
- Apologies for initial slide deck format (two slides per page); a single-slide version was uploaded.
- Rich Salz volunteered as note-taker.
- Reminder of the Note Well.
RFC 7990 Updates Draft Status:
- Changes since O2 (December):
  - "Publication formats" clarified to "file formats" for reader clarity.
  - Added a sentence: "The RPC will keep a public record of when it reissues an RFC and give a short description of its reasoning for each change." This addresses the compromise for tracking RFC reissues.
- Outstanding To-Dos in Draft:
  - HTML JavaScript format clarity: May be dropped as no complaints received.
  - RFC 7995 (PDF format): Discuss simplifying changes. Proposed to update rather than obsolete, as 7995 is broader than just RFC PDFs.
  - RFC 8153 (Digital Preservation Considerations for the RFC Series): Need to incorporate considerations.
- Active Discussion Points:
  - Not embedding XML in PDF: Ongoing discussion. Concern raised about the archival version for legal purposes. If XML is not embedded, PDF creation is easier.
  - Guidance for RPC on semantic changes: Debate on how much guidance to give the RPC regarding XML changes that don't affect RFC semantics (trust RPC vs. explicit guidance).
RFC 7997 bis Draft Status:
- Keywords and Tags in ASCII: RFC 7997 currently requires keywords and citation tags to be ASCII. The list discussion queries this.
- Non-breaking Hyphens and Spaces: Discussion on their use and impact on searchability.
- Keywords and Tags Discussion:
  - Keywords: General agreement that keywords can use non-ASCII characters. A suggestion was made to include ASCII equivalents for non-ASCII keywords.
  - Tags: More complex. Tags are used for section titles and references (e.g., square bracket citations, HTML anchors). Concerns about searchability of non-ASCII tags and ASCII constraints. Proposed to split this discussion into specific use cases.
  - Non-breaking hyphens and spaces: Not clear where these should be consistently applied. Known to reduce searchability. Suggestions included using them sparingly or introducing a nobr tag in the XML.

Decisions and Action Items

Keywords and Tags:
- There is a preference for keywords to be in English, which does not necessarily mean they must be ASCII. Exceptions for technical terms (e.g., Greek symbols) may be allowed.
- The term "tags" requires a clearer definition.
- The RSWG will provide high-level policy guidance on keywords and tags, leaving the detailed discretion to the RPC for specific implementation and exceptions. Normally, keywords should be ASCII/English, but the RPC can allow exceptions.
Non-breaking Hyphens and Spaces:
- General agreement to avoid non-breaking hyphens and spaces where possible.
- Acknowledged that there are cases (e.g., in tables, and potentially boilerplate text like "BCP 14") where they are currently necessary to maintain semantic correctness or visual integrity. These uses should continue in the near term.
- The RPC should use these characters sparingly and only as a last resort, for example, to address table formatting issues.
- The proposal for a nobr (no break) XML tag was discussed as a potential long-term solution but recognized as a significant undertaking with implications for presentation vs. semantic tagging.
Not Embedding XML in PDF:
- Consensus was reached among those present that not embedding XML in the PDF version of RFCs is the correct path forward. This simplifies tool choices and is acceptable given XML is the source of truth.
- The specific PDF/A standard (e.g., PDF/A-3) is not a critical requirement if XML is not embedded.
- Action Item: Paul Hoffman will draft a short "RFC 7995 Updates" document to capture this change and provide explicit guidance, linking to RFC 7990 bis, rather than directly integrating into 7990 bis to ensure visibility of the update.
- Action Item: The chairs will post the decision regarding not embedding XML in PDF to the mailing list to solicit any final objections or comments.

Next Steps

The chairs will initiate a mailing list discussion for final feedback on the decision to stop embedding XML in PDF.
The chairs will evaluate scheduling another interim meeting before the IETF 119 in Brisbane, potentially in a different time zone to encourage broader participation, especially from Eurasia.