Re: Question about standardization

Hi Michael,

On 12 May 2009, at 07:22, Michael Hucka wrote:

> Hello there,
>
> I hope this is not too off-topic -- I'm new to this group
> and still am trying to get a sense for what it's about.

The way to figure out it's formal scope is to read the charter:
    http://www.w3.org/2008/05/HCLSIGCharter

> Those of us working on SBML (the Systems Biology Markup
> Language -- see http://sbml.org) would like to pursue
> standards-body recognition of SBML.  Would this (HCLSIG) be
> an appropriate group within which to pursue that goal?

If by "pursue" you mean, "Produce, though the direct workings of this  
group, a W3C recommendation (without a recharter)" then then answer is  
simple, "No".

However, you could make a W3C member submission of the SBML documents  
with a recommendation that the W3C standardize it. Activities in this  
group could help build consensus around SBML (and around SBML being  
standardized by the W3C).

>  If
> not, what alternative(s) would people recommend?

Well, given that standardization is a costly endeavor, I'd ask about  
the motivations and expected benefits for moving development into a  
standards body, per se.n There are lots of different sorts of  
standards body and lots of different reasons for pursuing  
standardization.

Cheers,
Bijan.