by various newer RFCs, but SMTP itself is still "current technology", so it is not in "Historic" status. However, since BGP version 4 has entirely superseded earlier BGP versions, the RFCs describing those earlier versions, such as RFC 1267, have been designated historic. Unknown Status unknown'' is used for some very old RFCs, where it is unclear which status the document would get if it were published today. Some of these RFCs would not be published at all today; an early RFC was often just that: a simple Request for Comments, not intended to specify a protocol, administrative procedure, or anything else for which the RFC series is used today. Copyright The general rule is that original authors (or their employers, if their employment conditions so stipulate) retain copyright unless they make an explicit transfer of their rights. An independent body, the IETF Trust, holds the copyright for some RFCs and for all others it is granted a license by the authors that allows it to reproduce RFCs. The Internet Society is referenced on many RFCs prior to RFC4714 as the copyright owner, but it transferred its rights to the IETF Trust. See also April Fools' Day RFC Best Current Practice Internet Experiment Note List of RFCs References External links RFC Editor RFC Database RFC Errata RFC Frequently Asked Questions RFC Index (text) Official Internet Protocol Standards IETF's RFC page RFC Index (HTML) With the text of each RFC, also mentions what other RFCs this one "updates" or is "updated by". Computer-related introductions in 1969