RFC is short for Request for Comments. Initially RFCs were just that – requests for commentary on proposed solutions for this networking thing being worked on by ARPANET. Over the years RFCs have become the publishing channel for Internet Engineering Task Force. If you want to know how something is supposed to work in the Internet, check for an RFC. For instance RFC 2616 describes HTTP 1.1 or how my webserver communicated with your web browser so you could read this page.
From RFC 3:
The content of a NWG note may be any thought, suggestion, etc. related to
the HOST software or other aspect of the network. Notes are encouraged to
be timely rather than polished. Philosophical positions without examples
or other specifics, specific suggestions or implementation techniques
without introductory or background explication, and explicit questions
without any attempted answers are all acceptable. The minimum length for
a NWG note is one sentence.These standards (or lack of them) are stated explicitly for two reasons.
First, there is a tendency to view a written statement as ipso facto
authoritative, and we hope to promote the exchange and discussion of
considerably less than authoritative ideas. Second, there is a natural
hesitancy to publish something unpolished, and we hope to ease this
inhibition.
Yes, originally they were called Network Working Group Notes. Steve Crocker of UCLA authored many of the early ones. He set a good enough example that the practice flourished.
People write …