On 09/03/2016 23:16, Dirk Kutscher wrote:
Hi,
good discussion starter.
Two comments:
1) Open Source / Hackathon:
The objective of the IETF should IMO be to develop open, high-quality
specifications (in a timely manner...). We have been working with running
code for ensuring implementability and interoperability. That's still a good
thing, however, we could think about how we can make better use of Open
Source for the specification process. (Following up on Dave Ward's lunch
presentation some IETF meetings back.)
For example, some IRTF RGs are working with reference implementations (of
their core protocols) to promote experimentation, more research, future
adoption.
Would it make sense to promote similar models for the protocol specification
process in IETF WGs (beyond the Hackathon concept)?
I was tempted to write "Well, Duh!" but maybe this *isn't* obvious to
everybody. So yes, there is no doubt
that running code is a vital adjunct to successful standards work.
Potential benefits:
- more running code -- better specification quality
Very specifically, WGs where somebody can say "When writing the code, I
couldn't understand X",
or "When testing the code, I found that Y is wrong" produce better
specifications.
- FOSS as standards reference implementations -- promoting standards adoption
Perhaps equally important: providing a basis for interoperability tests.
BTW the choice of OS license is important: pick the wrong one and some people
aren't
allowed to look at your code.
- potentially: speeding up the process
Maybe not speeding up the IETF process itself, but certainly speeding up the
time
to market (or the time to deciding the whole thing was a bad idea).
Brian