--On Monday, 12 June, 2006 12:20 +0200 Brian E Carpenter
<brc(_at_)zurich(_dot_)ibm(_dot_)com> wrote:
...
The real underlying problem of course is the the
multi-stage standards process is just a relic from another
time, and makes no sense at all in the current environment.
Experiments in fine tuning the process are nothing but a
distraction.
For the record, I completely agree with the above sentiments
(and have so stated on the newtrk mailing list).
I'd like to ask people who *don't* agree with the above
sentiments
(i.e. who support this experimental process change) to say so,
before
the Last Call ends in two days. (Obviously, people who *do*
agree are welcome
to say so too, but a problem with Last Calls is that it's very
hard to
judge whether silence means consent.)
FWIW, I still think the approach in the draft is a good idea
given that...
(1) We have not been able to get consensus eliminating a
multistep standard process. For reasons explained elsewhere, I
personally consider that eliminating that process would be a bad
idea, but that is another discussion. The present reality is
that we don't have that consensus and that blocking incremental
improvements within it is a strange form of "see if we can make
things worse so as to build momentum for a more basic change".
I don't believe in that style of doing things.
(2) We have had repeated claims that the downref issue is a
major cause of perceived IETF slowness in getting documents out
and, especially, of getting documents to advanced maturity
level. I think that validating (or invalidating) those claims
would be helpful as a goal in itself. If it results in a
significant number of documents being advanced, that would be a
good thing. If it results in few or no documents being
advanced, then we know that particular argument is not a
significant part of the picture, and that would, itself, be
useful.
I agree with both of these points. One signs of a good experiment is that you
learn something from it no matter what the outcome. I see nothing but upside
here and fully support running this process experiment.
Ned
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