Re: [newtrk] Reviewing state of PS and DS standards

[Douglas Otis <dotis at mail-abuse.org>]

On Aug 13, 2006, at 4:41 AM, Eliot Lear wrote:

> However, I once again urge the IESG to recognize that RFC 2026  
> needs fixing.  We need to evolve as an organization.  It does not  
> bode well that our processes have ossified so much in the face of a  
> huge amount of evidence that they need fixing.

While this may be a valid concern, document categorization has not  
been attempted as an ongoing process, most likely because it  
represents an effort best achieved by those using the information.   
Moving documents to historic asked a simple question, does anyone  
still use this document?  This first required defining the document's  
relationships with other documents by way of call-out or by formal  
reference.  The final grouping, or sets of RFCs were then  
considered.  The categorization of a small percentage of documents to  
historic offers a modicum of guidance for ongoing endeavours, where  
even this process was still highly speculative.

What should be clear is that there is greater value in being able to  
view these documents in sets as they relate to stages of various  
endeavours.  A better goal would be to first organize the information  
into a meaningful structure.  This structure alone can easily  
supplant any value that might be achieved by a categorization process  
that requires more time and knowledge than available to a small group  
attempting to administer the process.  As the number and diversity of  
endeavours increase, categorization becomes more difficult.

There are critical areas that must be watched closely and relate to  
stability of the Internet itself.  This might include careful  
evaluation of experimental efforts or dealing with new security  
issues.  Once again, knowing a document's relationship with other  
documents at various stages development would aid the focusing of  
attention on these more pressing issues.  The organization of the  
information would also provide stable references, improve  
coordination with other groups, or the discovery of the latest  
information will be made easier when more complex subjects are  
reviewed in literature.  There was a lesson to be learned in the  
decruft effort.

-Doug



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