On 9/7/2010 5:41 PM, Ross Callon wrote:
>> It's my sense that it's increasingly difficult to do work in the IETF
>> without being physically present at meetings, as well...
>
> I think that this has been true since the first IETF (at least if you
> replace the word "increasingly" with the word "very").
Face-to-face is quite helpful for forming an effort, since it creates a
connection among the group, and it is quite helpful for resolving specific
problems. That is, it is good for personal connection and rapid interaction.
For a group with real focus and a strong sense of purpose, face to face is /not/
all that important for general document development and revision, absent
particular points of impasse.
We have running code here in the form of the Sieve WG. Several of the
active participants have, AFAIK, never attended a F2F meeting. This even
includes some specification authors or coauthors.
The key to making this work is that the people who are at the F2F meeting
have to take steps to facilitate remote participation. This includes, but
is not limited to:
(0) Having meeting materials available well in advance, no "winging it" at
meeting time.
(1) Proper use of microphones.
(2) Serious attention paid to Jabber during meetings.
(3) Timely postings to the mailing list.
In the case of Sieve, we went so far as to provide telepresence for selected
remote participants for "bar-BOF" discussions outside of the regular meetings.
This was especially helpful in coordinating specification work with remote
authors.
So the 'very' Ross cites has always been true, but in constrained ways.
Useful documents can be developed with /no/ face-to-face interactions. Useless
documents are often developed with /primarily/ face-to-face interactions.
Neither mode has a guaranteed outcome.
Quite true.
IMO, the tendency to move more towards doing work in f2f meetings seems
primarily to indicate a lack of urgency, process management and/or technical
focus, rather than on an actual need.
Also true. It takes real effort to make remote participation work. Most groups
don't bother, and thus fail to reap what they never sowed. And as time marches
on and F2F particpations inevitably becomes more expensive and difficult, the
present approach most groups use is only going to get more problematic, not
less.
Ned
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