[ih] Confusion in the RFCs

[John Day]

I have the ARPANET Protocol Handbook (1978). It contains the Telnet Spec RFC 542 with NIC 18639. (Aug 1973). 
However, back in the early 90s, I downloaded all of the RFCs at the time from the RFC editor’s website.  In those files, RFC 542 is the 1973 FTP spec also Aug 1973!  

I have to note in my download, RFC numbers in that immediate range are a bit spotty and looking them up today for some it says they were never issued. 

Any ideas what is going on?  Alex McKenzie pointed out that back then official documents weren’t given RFC numbers, but just NIC numbers because RFCs were requests for *comment.* Official specs were not being circulated for comment. (I always thought that was a little strange.)

Take care,
John