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Re: allowable questions (was Re www...)

2001-04-08 05:50:02
--On 01-04-08 03.08 -0700 "James P. Salsman" <bovik(_at_)best(_dot_)com> wrote:

Suppose XYZ corporation makes popular software for IP checksums, but
their algorithms only work for packet lengths less than 20.  If Robin Doe
works for XYZ corporation and has voluntarily become an official of
the checksum working group, and that working group has published
documents clearly indicating that checksum algorithms must be able to
accomodate packets of at least size 40, why is it not appropriate to
ask Robin whether XYZ corporation intends to support the requirement?

Ned wrote that it was unappropriate to have that question on the mailinglist of the wg, and further said you can ask the person in question in private mail.

You as participant in the IETF have to understand that Robin in your example clearly have to have an ability to differentiate between the two roles he has. As chair of the wg and as a spokesperson for the company. Asking these kind of questions on the wg mailinglist doesn't make the life easy for Robin.

We have to take care of our wg chairs, as their job is among the most important ones which are done in the IETF. The people working as wg chairs doesn't have an easy task. Espeically not "at home" in cases like the one you describe.

  paf