Clarification of Derivative Works Restrictions

Status of This Memo

This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.¶

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This Internet-Draft will expire on 14 February 2027.¶

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

This document updates "Rights Contributors Provide to the IETF Trust" [RFC5378] in order to clarify and limit which contributions may include a restriction on derivative rights.¶

Sections 5.3 and 6 of RFC 5378 describe an optional mechanism for a Contributor to limit derivative works rights with a notice in the Contribution.¶

This optional mechanism has sometimes been misconstrued as applying to all Contributions. Using this mechanism outside of specifications, for example, in electronic mail, makes it difficult for people to respond and inhibits collaboration. This behavior impedes the very idea of collaborating about the Internet over the Internet. The IESG has previously issued a statement on this topic [IESG-DERIV].¶

2. Conventions and Definitions

This document uses the terminology defined in Section 1 of [RFC5378].¶

3. Derivative Works Clarification

The No Derivative Works mechanism is limited to IETF Contributions which are Internet-Drafts and RFCs that are used in the IETF Standards Process, and is not applicable to any other IETF Contribution types as defined by RFC 5378.¶

All other rights Contributors grant to the IETF Trust or IETF IPMC per [RFC5378] remain in place.¶

4. Security Considerations

This document has no direct impact on Internet security.¶

5. IANA Considerations

This document has no IANA actions.¶

6. References

Appendix A. Change Log [RFC Editor, please remove]

Acknowledgements

Helpful comments were made by Jay Daley, Roman Danyliw, Glenn Deen, Stephen Farrell, Joel Halpern, Christian Huitema, John Klensin, Eliot Lear, John Levine, Rich Salz, Paul Wouters, and other members of the community.¶

Authors' Addresses