RFC 1790

RFC 1790: An Agreement between the Internet Society and Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the Matter of ONC RPC and XDR Protocols ✨

Okay bestie, let's start with the title block 🎀 This is RFC 1790, written by V. Cerf of the Internet Society under the Network Working Group. It's Informational (so it is not a standard 💅) and it's dated April 1995. The header doesn't list anything this RFC obsoletes or updates, so there's no chain of older docs to chase 🦋

Status of This Memo ✨

This memo gives info to the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited 🌸

Note 💅

This RFC is NOT a standard 🙈 It's an official public record of an agreement between SUN Microsystems and the Internet Society. The referenced RFC 1057 dated June 1988 ("RFC: Remote Procedure Call Protocol Specification Version 2) and RFC 1014 dated June 1987 ("XDR: External Data Representation Standard) are not attached to the document below, but they are incorporated by reference 📎

Purpose 🎀

So this Request for Comments records an agreement between SUN Microsystems, Inc. and the Internet Society. The goal is to let SUN's Open Network Computing Remote Procedure Call and External Data Representation specifications flow into the Internet Standards process run by the Internet Engineering Task Force 🧚

Readers should note 👀 that paragraph 4 means, in part, that someone or some organization other than the named "Licensees" must be separately "licensed" to use these specifications for implementation or other purposes. SUN Microsystems commits to providing such a license under "substantially similar terms" and at no charge 💖 If the referenced RFCs are re-issued as Proposed Standards, SUN could offer a blanket license to implementors. That blanket license could itself be documented and recorded as an RFC for reference 🫶

The Agreement 👑

An Agreement Between the Internet Society and Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the Matter of ONC RPC and XDR Protocols

1. Okay, so for good and valuable consideration (receipt and sufficiency totally acknowledged 💅), Sun Microsystems, Inc. ("Donor") hereby grants to the Internet Society and the Internet Engineering Task Force, along with their officers, employees, the IETF Secretariat and contractors ("Licensees"), a cost-free, perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide right and license under any copyrights, patents or other rights in Donor's Technology. This is for the sole purpose of making Donor's Open Network Computing ("ONC") Remote Procedure Call ("RPC") and External Data Representation ("XDR") (together the "Technology", which is the technical specifications set forth in Exhibit "A" attached hereto [sic] and incorporated herein by reference) an Internet standard, entering the Internet Standard process as a Proposed Standard 🔥 The license covers the right to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, propose, test, develop, analyze, enhance, revise, adopt, maintain, perform and display publicly, and to prepare derivative works that are based on or incorporate all or part of the Technology. It also covers reproducing, distributing and performing or displaying publicly any such derivative works, in any form and in all languages (computer and foreign). That includes the right and license to use the marks "ONC RPC" and "ONC XDR" ("Marks") in association therewith, and to authorize others to do so. Donor agrees to let Licensees use Donor's name and address to indicate the original source of the Technology 🌈
2. Donor further exclusively transfers to Licensees the worldwide right and license to further evolve, develop and modify the Technology. The point is making the Technology an Internet Standard through the Internet Standardization Process (as specified in RFC 1602) 🦋 That includes the right and license to use the Marks in association with any such modifications, and to authorize others to do so. Donor also acknowledges that if it does any evolution, development and modification of the Technology outside of the Internet Standardization Process, that work should be clearly indicated as a non-standard development. No reference to the Internet Standards Process is allowed for any Technology developed outside of the Internet Standards Process 🙅‍♀️
3. Donor acknowledges that Licensees take on no obligation to maintain any confidentiality with respect to the Technology licensed here. Donor also represents that, to the best of its knowledge, there are no infringement claims against the Technology. Donor represents that the Technology was not prepared jointly with others. Licensees acknowledge that any rights not expressly granted here are reserved by Donor 🧾
4. Donor acknowledges that Licensees have no duty to publish or otherwise use or disseminate the Technology. That includes, in particular, no obligation to raise the Technology to the Internet standards-track 🛤️ If the Technology is elevated to Proposed standard level, Donor agrees to license the Technology to others under substantially similar terms as those licensed to Licensee here, at no charge. The exception is that such use of the Technology by such Licensees shall be for purposes other than making the Technology an Internet Standard. This applies so long as such licensees of the Technology implement the Internet standard 💜 If the Technology is not elevated to Proposed standard level within 24 months of the execution of this agreement, then Section 2 of this agreement is null and void 💀
5. > Heads up: this part is in ALL CAPS in the original, so it's shouting for a reason 😭

THE TECHNOLOGY IS PROVIDED TO LICENSEES "AS IS", AND ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. MERCHANTABILITY AND NONINFRINGEMENT ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED.

6. > Also ALL CAPS in the original, so same energy 📣

IN NO EVENT WILL DONOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE, PROFIT OR DATA, OR FOR DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THEORY OF LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY, EVEN IF DONOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

7. This Agreement is the entire agreement between the parties on its subject matter, and it supersedes all prior written or oral agreements and discussions 📜 All additions or modifications to this agreement must be made in writing and must be signed by an authorized representative of each party. If any term or condition of this Agreement is declared void or unenforceable, as provided herein or by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. The parties agree to comply strictly with all applicable export control laws and regulations 🌍 Where no U.S. Federal law governs, this agreement will be governed by the law of the State of California, without reference to its conflict of laws provision 🌴

Signatures ✍️

Here are the signature blocks, verbatim:

Signature /S/ J. Bill Maier        Date 4-6-95
Name      Jim Bill Maier
Title     VP/GM Networking
          for Sun Microsystems, Inc.


Signature /S/Vinton G. Cerf        Date 4-11-95
Name      Vinton G. Cerf
Title     President
For       Internet Society

Security Considerations 🚨

Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Plot twist: this memo has zero security discussion at all 💀 Keep that in mind.

Author's Address 🧚

Vinton G. Cerf
President
Internet Society
12020 Sunrise Valley Dr, suite 270
Reston, VA  22091

Phone: +1 703 648 9888
EMail: vcerf@isoc.org