LC comment for SpecGL : 'what does "MUST define scope" mean?'

Here is a last call comment from Dan Connolly (connolly@w3.org) 
on QA Framework : Specifications Guidelines (and Examples and Techniques)
received by the LC form system.

Submitted on behalf of: N/A
Comment type: Substantive
The comment applies to: "1.1 Include the scope of the specification"
Comment title: what does "MUST define scope" mean?

Comment:
"Conformance requirements: the specification MUST define the subject matter of the specification"

how can I tell whether my spec has defined the subject
matter of the specification or not?

SpecGL uses MUST in the sense of RFC2119, but RFC2119
says, of MUST/MAY/SHOULD keywords...

   In particular, they MUST only be used where it is
   actually required for interoperation or to limit behavior which has
   potential for causing harm

What interoperability failure results from the
failure of a spec to define conformance?


Proposed resolution : 
Don't use MUST to constrain specs; specs aren't software
agents.
]]

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Received on Wednesday, 23 April 2003 18:27:46 UTC