How to write a good RFC standard and where to get started?

Question

I was wondering what it requires to write a standard which targets programmers (e.g. JSON) and where to get started?

Does anyone has hands-on experience on that?

Answer 1

The first thing you need is a community that need something. Then you need to get this community discussing.

Answer 2

i think, a better question is, "how to write a good specification?" ...

most RFCs are bad specs, in my eyes ... personally, i quite hate them ... they are still better than ECMA-specs, but that's not a real criterium i think ...

for example: compare JSON-"specs" on json.org with the actual RFC ... i do agree, the first is not 100% exact (well, actually it is more exact then most JSON encoders), but in a few lines and a few syntax diagrams it says where JSON comes from, what its usage is, and defines the format ...

i don't see a real point in writing endless RCFs, because in the end noone reads them leading to the point where

• you don't get the comment you requested for
• people make implementations without really knowing your standard

if you really want to propose a standard, or make it comprehensible, do not use documents with countless pages ... it's just a waste of time ... when the standard is mature, you can start bothering making a very formal and strict definition, which is a good basis for highly consistent behaviour accross implementations, if it is really clear ...

do not obscure ideas by using too many strange and invented words, abreviations or refering to thousands of other things ... the simplicity of a solution is a measure for it's actual worth ... and treating the reader of your document, like a slightly dumb alien, to whom you have to explain everything, but at the same time expecting they can follow unjustifiably complex and bloated explanations, does not seem very sane to me ... just KISS ... ;)