Overview
April Fools' Day RFCs are humorous or satirical technical documents published, usually by the IETF, to parody Internet-related protocols and standards. Since 1989, this tradition has provided an annual outlet for creativity and satire in the technical community.
Purpose and History of April Fools' Day RFCs
- April Fools' Day RFCs are spoof or joking RFCs published nearly every April 1st since 1989.
- The tradition was inspired by earlier humorous RFCs, such as 1973's ARPAWOCKY.
- These RFCs parody technical protocols, networking concepts, or cultural trends in Internet engineering.
Notable April Fools' Day RFC Examples
- RFC 1149 proposed transmitting IP packets via homing pigeon, later "implemented" by enthusiasts.
- RFC 1925 outlined the "Twelve Networking Truths," a satirical look at Internet realities.
- RFC 2324 defined the Hyper Text Coffee Pot Control Protocol (HTCPCP), including the "I'm a teapot" HTTP code.
- RFC 3514 introduced the "evil bit" in IPv4 headers, parodying simple technical fixes for complex problems.
- RFC 6214 adapted the pigeon IP protocol for IPv6.
- RFC 4042 humorously defined fictional UTF-9 and UTF-18 Unicode formats.
- RFC 9405 presented an AI Sarcasm Detection Protocol.
Other Humorous RFCs
- RFC 439 documented a conversation between two early chatbots, parodying Turing tests.
- RFC 527 parodied Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky in network style.
- RFC 2410 outlined the "NULL Encryption Algorithm" as a joke proposal.
Submission Guidelines for April Fools' Day RFCs
- Submissions are accepted from anyone if received at least two weeks before April 1.
- The RFC Editor acknowledges the tradition and provides guidance with a humorous note in the instructions.
Key Takeaways
- April Fools' RFCs provide comic relief and cultural commentary within the technical standards community.
- While not meant for implementation, some have inspired real-world experiments.
- The collection reflects both technical and social aspects of Internet development and community humor.