From: Dave Crocker <dhc(_at_)dcrocker(_dot_)net>
Although the IETF has participation from the full range of academia,
research-ia, and industry, it's really and industry-driven environment,
since successful output of the IETF results in products and services.
The proper model for such an environment is that everyone who
participates is biased and has an agenda.
Seriously. Expecting anything is frankly naive.
This seems to me to be common sense (after attending a few IETFs and
getting to know people). If someone is working in a given area, it's
at least a 50% chance that (1) he has been sent there by an employer,
(2) that employer is producing products in the area, and (3) the
employer has a commercial interests that are affected by the work.
Beyond that, you have to get to know people and their behavior to
determine the degree to which those commercial interests conflict with
producing good standards and the degree to which that affects the
behavior of each person.
This is true as well of working group chairs and area directors.
Need we put this in the Note Well statement?
Dale