User Services Area Director: o Joyce Reynolds: jkrey@isi.edu Area Summary reported by Joyce Reyolds/Information Sciences Institute Seven active working groups and three BOFs (SSH, ABBY, and ARTS) were held in the User Services (USV) Area of the IETF in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Two working groups (NIR and TRAINMAT) did not meet at this IETF. The on-going goals of the USV Area for the next two years include: 1. expanding and clarifying the USV Area mission, 2. setting up a ``USV-Web'' and a ``USV-TV,'' 3. HTML the FYI RFC series of notes, 4. continue to bring in other disciplines to the IETF, and 5. advertise on other lists to ``get the word out'' about USV. Netiquette BOF (ABBY) The session focused on three main areas of discussion: 1) exploring the overall principles which underly the creation of a ``netiquette'' document, 2) examining the process of writing such a document, and 3) identifying existing documents that are available on the net today or that have been recommended by users. A lively discussion of the session participants ensued. The attendees bashed around various ideas on the types of documentation that could be published on this subject by the IETF USV Area. Other types of published works relating to this subject by other entities were also discussed. A proposed charter and goals and milestones for a working group as a result of this BOF was developed. The Arts: Sharing Center Stage on the Internet BOF (ARTS) This BOF focused on two specific areas of discussion: 1) identifying various types of arts- and humanities-based information and resources that will be in demand from the K-12 user base and arts community as networking continues to evolve; and 2) exploring the range of current technological applications (and projected future applications) that will best meet those needs. There was an excellent exchange of ideas by the attendees of this BOF, who came from a wide variety of backgrounds. Another BOF will be held at the San Jose IETF in December to address the ``humanities'' issues, which could not be covered due to time constraints, as well as developing a charter for a working group. Site Security Handbook BOF (SSH) The purpose of this BOF was to: discuss the information provided in FYI 8, RFC 1244, identify information topics that are missing and needed, identify other documents currently available that are similar, and discuss a charter for the working group. Opening discussion focused on the need to update the document, followed by listing participants' ideas on what the revised edition should have. The list included scope, audience, size, and organization of the information. Out of this list came three different types of site security documents a proposed working group could focus on. A brief discussion focused on how to organize the work, and if there is enough interest to define a charter for a ``revised'' Site Security Handbook Working Group. There was consensus that a working group should be initiated. The effort of creating a new charter will be taken up on a e-mail list that will be created after the IETF, as the group ran out of time in the session. Integrated Directory Services Working Group (IDS) The working group chairs of IDS did not file a summary report with the area director. Integration of Internet Information Resources Working Group (IIIR) The transponder and vision papers have been revised as suggested by the working group and resubmitted. It is expected that these papers are now ready to move to Informational RFC status. Cliff Lynch's Z39.50 over TCP/IP paper will be recommended for movement to RFC, as no substantive comments have been submitted. Keith Moore presented his work on the Location Independent File Name, which was seen to be useful and will be fitted into the URN ! URL architecture. The rest of the session was taken up by discussions of the upcoming IAB Information Architecture Workshop; Erik Huizer suggested that the group produce one of the solicited white papers for consideration at the workshop. Several people volunteered to solicit white papers from communities which do not traditionally attend the IETF (libraries, information retrieval, commercial publishers and others.) In addition, a vocabulary listing for potentially contentious terms in these communities will be developed and posted to the workshop list by 15 September, to help facilitate the workshop. In addition, a new working group charter has been submitted, reflecting the progress made on the current Internet-Draft, and covering the working group's new focus on architectural issues. Internet School Networking Working Group (ISN) Chair Jennifer Sellers reported on the status of three different documents: one for schools on how to write an Acceptable Use Policy by Bill Manning, one on stages of connectivity for schools by Bob Carlitz and Gene Hastings, and the Internet-Draft ``K-12 Internetworking Guidelines'' by Joan Gargano and David Wasley. Next the group discussed setting up an archive of documents on Internet connectivity for schools, with access via FTP and the Web. This will be done in lieu of writing a document for providers about connecting educational sites. April Marine then led a discussion of how to complete one of the group's milestones, finding a directory services provider to implement a database of educators who use the Internet. The session concluded with a discussion of a future activity, the creation of a Web page for schools with links to project descriptions. This archive, also available via FTP, would act as an on-line clearinghouse. Based on an assessment of the people who generally attend ISN meetings, the group decided that future meetings should include an in-person version of the clearinghouse, that is, time at each session to exchange information on networking projects on schools worldwide. The Network Information Services Infrastructure Working Group (NISI) The NISI Working Group met and discussed progress since the last meeting. There were four planned agenda items. 1. The ``NIC Guidelines'' document still needs to be issued as an Internet-Draft so that wider comments can be gathered in preparation to issuing the document as an update to RFC 1302. 2. Also pending is an informal ``outreach'' project designed to get some feedback on the needs of NIC personnel. 3. Susan Calcari of the InterNIC reported on progress made in transferring the NIC profiles templates, which contain contact information for various network information centers, from Merit to the DS InterNIC, on progress they have made in updating the information, and on next steps needed for that project. 4. Susan also discussed the InterNIC starter kit being developed by the IS InterNIC and which will be made available for use and customization by other NICs. Network Training Materials Working Group (TRAINMAT) The TRAINMAT Working Group did not meet at this IETF. They will be holding a session at the next IETF in San Jose in December. Networked Information Retrieval Working Group (NIR) NIR did not meet at this IETF. Its draft document, ``A Status Report on Networked Information Retrieval: Tools and Groups'' has been approved by the IESG, and sent on to the RFC Editor, pending editorial fixes by the document editor, Jill Foster. Jill has sent a new, revised version of the draft to the RFC Editor for publication. Uniform Resource Identifiers Working Group (URI) The Uniform Resource Identifiers Working Group met for two sessions at the Toronto IETF meeting. The Internet Resource Locators Internet-Draft and the Uniform Resource Name Functional Requirements document underwent minor modifications and will be posted to the mailing list for final approval. The Uniform Resource Locator Functional Specifications Internet-Draft had moderate modification and it too will be sent to the mailing list for final approval. The group's co-chairs Alan Emtage and Jim Fullton have both submitted their resignations to the Area Directors due to time constraints. Larry Masinter will be assuming the chair as soon as the above three documents have been sent up to the IESG. User Documents Revisions Working Group (USERDOC2) A new version of the revised bibliography (FYI 3) was distributed and reviewed. This document will be posted as a revised Internet-Draft next week and, after an appropriate public comment period, be put into the FYI/RFC series. The attendees responded positively to the current document and recommended its approval. FYI 19 is ready for a revision. With USERDOC2 ending after this IETF, the document will be sent to USWG for work within that group. A small group of volunteers will help revise the document. Following a short session, Joyce Reynolds thanked the chairs, including Lenore who was not present, for their work. User Services Working Group (USWG) Joyce Reynolds presented reports on IETF User Services Area activities and progress of USWG projects since the Seattle IETF. This included the closure of the Internet Anonymous FTP Archives (IAFA) and the Networked Information Retrieval (NIR) Working Groups. FYI RFC publications included: FYI 24, RFC 1635 (``How to Use Anonymous FTP'') and FYI 23, RFC 1580 (``Guide to Network Resource Tools''). A final USWG review of the Internet-Draft ``A Primer On Internet and TCP/IP Tools'' was conducted, with Joyce tasked to report back to the authors about the review. Reports were also provided on the User Support and Applications Track sessions of the INET94/JENC94 conference as well as a brief update on the RARE ISUS meetings held in Prague, the Czech Republic. (The full trip report will be filed in the Internet Monthly Report.) David Sitman provided information on EARN's upcoming Network Services Conference to be held in London, England, 28-30 November. Susan Calcari presented an update on the USV-Web that she and the InterNIC are assisting the USWG with. She also provided a brief update on Referral WHOIS protocol (RWHOIS), which was discussed in more detail in the ASID Working Group. Discussion also included the work Susan has been doing on the InterNIC's starter kit. This topic was discussed further in the NISI Working Group. WHOIS and Network Information Lookup Service Working Group (WNILS) The WNILS Working Group reviewed four Internet-Drafts: 1. draft-ietf-wnils-whois-lookup-01.txt - This Internet-Draft is complete and was approved for submission as an Informational RFC. 2. draft-ietf-wnils-whois-arch-01.txt - This Internet-Draft is complete and was approved for submission as a Draft Standard. 3. draft-ietf-wnils-whois-03.txt - This Internet-Draft is complete and was approved for submission as a Draft Standard. 4. draft-ietf-wnils-whois-mesh-00.txt - This Internet-Draft was submitted one day before the meeting and has not been subject to a thorough review. It will be discussed as part of the ASID Working Group activities. The working group agreed to closure. The ietf-wnils@ucdavis.edu mailing list will remain in place at least until the completion of the review of the draft-ietf-wnils-whois-mesh-00.txt paper. All work is complete and this working group is now closed.