A proposal for URL registration PROCEDURE

The URL list has been DEAD recently so I thought I would attempt to start some
discussion on the actual process to use for registering a new URL scheme.
Comments to the list please.


Gross overview:


To register a new URL scheme:

1) Complete "application" form (discussed below).

2) Provide an I-D documenting the technical specifications for the URL scheme.

Submit both items to IESG.  IESG will review (within x weeks) and will take
one of the following courses of action (depending on the content of the
documents):

1) Return application to requester for revision.  (Incomplete application,
   inadequate documentation, etc.)

2) Approve.

3) Forward it to a committee for review.  Committee to take no more than
   x weeks to review.  Committee returns recommendation to IESG for further
   action (return, approve, forward to WG) with-in x weeks.

4) Forward to a WG for consideration.  (A WG may have to be chartered.)

Once the IESG has approved the scheme, the application form will be forwarded
to IANA for registration and the document specifying the URL scheme will be
published as an RFC.  Documents describing "private" URL schemes may be
published as Informational RFCs; all other scheme documents should be 
standards track (but could be experimental).

Scheme names are registered on a first come, first serve basis, given that
there is no obvious problem with using the scheme name or assigning the
"rights" to a scheme name to the requesting party.

The IESG reserves the right to reject any scheme name if:

 o  It is offensive to a significant number of persons.  (Could be a harmless
    word or meaningless abbreviation in one language but an unacceptable
    word in another language.)
 o  There is significant probability that the applicant does not have rights
    to the scheme name (e.g. CompuServe tries to register AOL:).
 o  The name would lead to confusion with existing schemes.
 o  The name is grossly misleading.


Details:

Application Form - A short form similar to MIME type registration form.
Covers issues not usually covered in a technical description of a scheme
such as:

 o  Intended scope of use (e.g. private or public scheme).
 o  Contact person for registration process.
 o  If "private" scheme:
     -  Perpetual contact person
     -  Criteria for declaring scheme abandoned
     -  Justification of rights to scheme name (AOL, Java, trademark, etc.)


Documentation - Basically an RFC that documents the syntactics of the scheme.
In reality, "private" schemes may be documented as simply "scheme name", colon,
"opaque string".  The following issues, however, should be addressed in the
documentation:

  Year 2000
  Scaling
  Security
  I18N


Retiring Schemes:

If a URL scheme is documented on the standards track, it can be declared
historical in the same manner by which the IESG moves other standards to
"historical".

If a URL scheme is documented as an Informational RFC, the information provided
on the application form must be used to determine if the scheme name
has been abandoned or not.


Justification:

This process allows private URL scheme names to be registered with minimal
effort and delay.  URL schemes with wider scope than "private" may benefit
from the review and input of working groups and the established processes of
IETF standards track procedures.