**Session Date/Time:** 28 Mar 2023 00:30

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# sml

## Summary

This meeting explored the potential for standardizing structured email within the IETF. The discussion covered problem statements, use cases, existing implementations, and potential issues with standardization.  The goal was to determine if there is interest and a viable scope for a future working group.  It was agreed that continued discussion on the mailing list is required, with a goal of developing a narrower charter to be discussed at a potential follow-up BOF in San Francisco.

## Key Discussion Points

*   **Semantic Web and Structured Data:**  Explained the relationship between semantic web concepts (RDF, schema.org) and the potential benefits of structured email.
*   **Existing Implementations:**  Examined current use of schema.org annotations in email by major ESPs (Gmail, 1&1), highlighting both the benefits (enhanced user experience) and the limitations (vendor-specific, consumer-centric, complex onboarding).
*   **Use Cases:** Explored various use cases, including flight itineraries, order confirmations, and automatic encryption (Pep project). Discussed the value of machine readability in these scenarios.
*   **Adoption Hurdles:**  Identified significant challenges to adoption, including lack of standardization, complex onboarding processes, security concerns (spam), and the need for sender incentives.
*   **Testing and Interoperability:** Discussed how to ensure the resulting standard is interoperable, testable, and functional across a wide range of email clients, and how to engage the opensource community to reach that goal.
*   **Prioritization and Scope:**  Recognized the need for careful prioritization and a well-defined, narrow scope for any future working group to avoid "boiling the ocean." It was suggested to identify a MVP use case that solves for the more foundational parts of the standard, such as references and replacement.
*   **Format Considerations:** Discussed whether to support existing variety of formats or to propose just one ideal implementation standard.

## Decisions and Action Items

*   **Action Item:**  The chairs (Barry and Alex) will facilitate continued discussion on the mailing list to refine the problem statement and scope.
*   **Action Item:**  Develop a draft charter with a narrowed scope, targeting a specific set of use cases and addressing key issues such as preferred data format, location within the email, and referencing other email parts.
*   **Decision:** Aim to circulate the draft charter at least six weeks prior to the San Francisco IETF meeting to allow for sufficient review and feedback.
*   **Decision:** Explore the possibility of a working group forming BOF in San Francisco to discuss the revised charter.

## Next Steps

*   Continue discussion on the mailing list.
*   Draft a narrowed charter for a potential working group.
*   Circulate the draft charter for review and feedback.
*   Consider holding a working group forming BOF in San Francisco to discuss the charter.