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Re:JMAP: A modern, open email protocol by viraptor on Monday May 06, 2019 @10:32PM (#19845907)
> IETF's standardisation process almost can't help but improve whatever it is you're trying to standardize

I've read the SIP RFCs. That's not a hard rule unfortunately. (Unless it really was worse before, but I can't imagine that...)

Re:JMAP: A modern, open email protocol by tialaramex on Wednesday May 08, 2019 @09:44AM (#19858718)
No need to imagine, the IETF process results in a series of drafts for relatively modern things like SIP, so you can go back and look e.g.

https://tools.ietf.org/rfcdiff?difftype=--hwdiff&url2=rfc326...

... is the changes from their last draft to the published RFC

Admittedly only very recent work with git-minded people in the WG has a full git history of revisions, earlier work like SIP just has the numbered drafts representing a few months work typically from one draft to the next, but you can go back and see this work and also the mailing lists that drove the changes.

I'm not a SIP expert, but looks to me like the brief extracts I read are improvements. For example that last draft requires people who want to add a new SIP method (like INVITE or CANCEL) to send IANA a copy of the RFC describing their method. Why? What possible purpose could there be when RFCs are public documents? Are they expected to... print it out and mail it? So, the final standard text just says to provide the RFC number.