[minutes] 2013-11-15 Chapter 7 Revisions (part of Advisory Board f2f Day 2) meeting

Dear all,

The minutes of the Chapter 7 Revisions (part of Advisory Board f2f Day 2)  
meeting of 15 November 2013 are available:
    https://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html

A text snapshot follows; the summary per topic is included in the  
"Contents" section.

Cheers,
Coralie

==================================================================
          Chapter 7 Revisions (part of Advisory Board f2f Day 2)
                               15 Nov 2013

    These minutes are public. Some links may be visible only to the
    W3C Advisory Board.

    See also: [2]IRC log

       [2] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-irc

Attendees

    Present
           Jean-Charles Verdié, Jeff Jaffe, Jim Bell, Ian Jacobs,
           Charles McCathie Nevile, Steve Holbrook, Mike Champion,
           Qiuling Pan, Ralph Swick, Coralie Mercier (scribe), Ann
           Bassetti, Chris Wilson (phone), fantasai

    Regrets
           Tantek Çelik

    Chair
           Steve Zilles

    Scribe
           Ian Jacobs, Coralie Mercier

Contents and summary

      * [3]Topics

        There was a Technical Plenary breakout session in which is
        was suggested to call LCCR "Candidate Recommendation”. This
        name maps to the patent policy according to PSIG. There was
        no consensus in the breakout to call a Recommendation a
        Standard.
        The Advisory Board took a RESOLUTION: LCCR is now Candidate
        Recommendation.
        The AB discussed several aspects of signalling:
           + For horizontal review of specs: It was proposed that
             WAI PF develop a best practices doc for how to work
             with that group.
           + To enter LCCR: it is the responsibility of the WG to
             show they have met the wide review requirement rather
             than the responsibility of the horizontal review
             groups to show they have _not_ met the requirement.
        Charles McCathie Nevile took the action to ensure that the
        process keeps it clear that the exclusion clock is
        restarted as needed with new LCCR, and that it is possible
        to produce a new LCCR for changes without arbitrary
        overhead.
        Elika Etemad (fantasai), who joined the AB for this
        discussion, showed a draft revised layout for
        specifications, including a clearer Status of the Document.
        The Advisory Board expressed strong support for:
           + Removing "how" from pubrules
           + Having clearer top of document
           + Having machine-processable information

      * [4]Summary of Action Items
      __________________________________________________________

    <scribe> scribe: Ian

    <scribe> scribenick: Ian

    <SteveZ> [5]http://www.w3.org/2013/11/13-w3process-minutes.html

       [5] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/13-w3process-minutes.html

    SZ: Those are minutes from Weds breakout session
    ... Here's a summary of some interesting comments:

    1) Observation by Paul Cotton that the existing process says
    that LC is mandatory and CR is optional. And our proposal flips
    that...and in doing so it seems to solve a number of problems.

    2) We also discussed issue 39 (transition to the new process).
    There was basically agreement with the series of memos that
    said (1) new work should use new process (2) for existing work,
    groups can choose when to switch (3) not good idea to switch if
    mid last call (4) should be some time after which group must
    switch

    3) We also talked about CSS WG current approaches (e.g.,
    different phases "exploring," "resolving," and "refining")

    SZ: in the last phase you have most of the details and are
    looking for review to catch final details

    Jeff: How does prefixing work in that model?

    SZ: Prefixing is used up to CR. You start using it whenever
    people start implementing.

    <koalie> [Mike Champion arrives]

    <Ralph> [6]notes from Wednesday's Process breakout

       [6] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/13-w3process-minutes.html

    <cwilso> e.g. features only show up in Canary until they're
    mostly solid.

    SteveZ: I mention the three phases as one example of how to
    label parts of a document and what type of review is sought
    ... both Paul Cotton and David Singer said that having a signal
    that a spec is in a state for review is important. The label
    doesn't matter as much, but the signal is important.

    Jeff: Do they want a paragraph in chapter 7 that formalizes an
    optional signal?

    SteveZ: Could be in process or in pubrules.

    Jeff: So we need to think about how we do that.

    4) Regarding status names, the name change to "Recommendation"
    to "Standard" got some support but also strong opposition

    Mike: The reason I object to that is that I want to reserve
    "standard" for a hypothetical future state like the IETF uses.

    Steve: I propose we come back to this discussion
    ... regarding proposal to change LCCR, most support was for
    Candidate Recommendation, but not unanimity

    SZ: I observe that we split LC into two pieces - IPR review and
    wide technical review. We let wide tech review happen without a
    transitional state and the new process is mostly an IPR
    transition signal

    SteveZ: In IETF, "Proposed Standard" is deemed suitable for
    normative reference.

    <SteveZ>
    [7]https://www.w3.org/community/w3process/track/issues/52

       [7] https://www.w3.org/community/w3process/track/issues/52

    Steve: We need to decide whether we want a label, where to put
    the info about the label, and what the label is.

    Jeff: I'm not sure that we want to create a label. But if we do
    we still to discuss what goes with it like communication,
    minimum duration

    SZ: I want to avoid introducing a new state...just a label that
    is descriptive about a WD.

    Mike: From a UI perspective...imagine WDs say "Draft". But
    drafts that trigger an exclusion opportunity should be very
    explicit that there is one (and until date)
    ... and those that want wide review should say that.
    ... people don't want to move backward in process
    ... from a user perspective, that's what I'd like to see.

    <Ralph> [8]IETF Standards Process

       [8] http://www.ietf.org/about/standards-process.html

    IJ: Sounds like Ian's last year's process proposal

    SZ: We want signals one what the WG wants.

    IJ: I think status sections are largely designed for that; but
    we know people say they are not read, so we need to do better
    in UI

    Mike: The bits that I am interested in communicating clearly
    are: wide review, exclusion opportunity, implementation
    feedback request
    ... those should be decoupled from maturity level since
    different parts of the specification may be differently mature
    ... I'm talking about attributes (not state changes)

    <Zakim> chaals, you wanted to talk about setting review
    expectations

    Chaals: what the proposal does at the moment is set
    requiremnets and expectations. There are two stages when you
    have exclusion opportunities (FPWD, LCCR)
    ... I believe that satisfies what you are looking for.
    ... getting into LCCR is sufficiently painful for all concerned
    that you are encouraged not to do it often

    <koalie> [Fantasai enters]

    Chaals: ArtB wondered why this was so difficult.

    <inserted> Chaals: the answer is that if you request a fourth
    CR, the director will probably be more reluctant to meet with
    you if you don't have a convincing argument that *this time*
    you're really ready

    Chaals: Maybe we should be more explicit about why we are
    encouraging review
    ... we could be more explicit that the changes that are
    important are those that should be reviewed

    fantasai: In CSS WG, we consider WD a design phase. When we
    need implementation we put it in CR. When we have gotten the 2
    interop implementations, we move to rec. That CR phase does
    involve review of changes and revisions. You are asking in the
    proposed process to put implementation experience in the draft
    status.

    Jeff: Why are multiple CRs discouraged more in the new process
    than in the old process?
    ... I'm understanding how the new process does not fix a
    particular problem we have at the moment.

    fantasai: I disagree with a goal I heard Charles express.

    Charles: I don't think it's a position I hold.

    fantasai: I want to be able to make changes to a CR because I
    want people to still know it's for implementation

    <koalie> scribenick: koalie

    Ian: My understanding is there is no backward in the new
    process
    ... you repeat a label
    ... editorial changes allow you to request to go forward
    ... I heard fantasai hear the CSS WG wants a signal "we're
    done"
    ... you had two in the current process and now you have one and
    you intend to use it for REC

    <IanJ> [Discussion of whether new process is designed to
    discourage multiple LCCRs]

    <scribe> scribenick: IanJ

    Jeff: you are using LCCR and based on usage you are making
    editorial and minor changes, it should be fine.
    ... if you are making substantive changes, my impression is
    both in the new and old process you would be doing multiple CRs
    (so it's not a change, and it has never been encouraged)

    <Zakim> chaals, you wanted to suggest that the process doesn't
    encourage implementation before or after CR, but makes it
    easier to support those groups who do implementation early.

    <koalie> fantasai: I do not agree with chaals' implication that
    publishing more than one LCCR is wrong

    chaals: fantasai has correctly called out that there are people
    who use CR to get implementation. The new process was not
    designed to stop people from doing that.
    ... there reason for discouraging multiple CR drafts is
    repeating exclusion opportunity is somewhat painful

    Charles: Perhaps we should look at proposed changes to a CR
    ... so you can publish a public draft of an edited CR for
    review, before calling the next exclusion opportunity.
    ... There is a goal to start to get implementations early in
    the process.
    ... sometimes late. The process needs to support both.

    fantasai: The point about calls for exclusions is an important
    one.
    ... we want to make changes without triggering CFE over the
    whole spec.

    Charles: You don't over the whole spec; it's just over the
    delta.

    IJ: Current process distinguishes process transitions and doc
    status labels

    Charles: The proposal notes that the way you go through these
    stages is to go through the Director.

    [IJ: another way to characterize it is that the Director is for
    state changes, not publications as it were]

    <fantasai> WD phase has section "To publish a revised Working
    draft", no such section for CR

    Charles: There is no requirement for formal review when you do
    the publication.

    [We discuss "publication" v. "director approval" v. "meeting
    with the director"]

    SteveZ: The Director may not require a meeting; may simply
    approve a request.
    ... the point of this getting the ok is that substantive
    changes may be affecting implementations

    Charles: What it does is trigger an exclusion opportunity.

    fantasai: There's some overlap between concepts of substantive
    and non-substantive before and after Rec.
    ... I think it would be useful to define one in terms of the
    other....
    ... If the AB agrees that changes in classes 1 and 2 are ok to
    do without going through LCCR and 3 and 4, then I'm satisfied
    and can work with Charles to make it clear.

    Charles: I think it should be made clearer

    [IJ: we also said we did not want to change language from
    current process...so we need to be aware of that]

    SteveZ: We'll add this to the issues list
    ... Judy raised a question on signaling.
    ... Judy is concerned about horizontal review of
    specifications; horz groups are resource constrained but seek
    to establish individual relationships to each group
    ... my suggestion to Judy was that WAI PF develop a best
    practices doc for how to work with that group, and to use that
    as a starting point for how to work with the WGs
    ... so this would not require a change to the process but would
    help horz review groups document how best to interact with them
    ... the other piece of the story is that you need wide review
    to enter LCCR. It becomes the responsibility of the Director to
    confirm wide review requirement has been met (or reject
    requests where that has not happened)

    <Ralph> SteveZ: i.e. it is the responsibility of the WG to show
    they have met the wide review requirement rather than the
    responsibility of the horizontal review groups to show they
    have _not_ met the requirement

    Steve: I think all parties will need to execute on the process
    as prescribed.

    fantasai: I spoke with Judy as well; seems like a good side
    effect of this process proposal - encourages better
    interactions

    <Ralph> s/Elika/fantasai/G

    Mike: Let's signal functionally complete à la Ian's proposal to
    indicate clearly what the group wants
    ... these are attribute signals, not process signals.
    ... I want groups to be able to say clearly "we think we are
    functionaly complete" but we not overload process states with
    this

    Ralph: I'm comfortable with the notion of attributes rather
    than process states, as long as we have a way to document which
    attributes are in which state.
    ... The notion of explaining to non-participants what the story
    is, and what the group wants, and maturity labels, and status,
    they are all connected things.
    ... Group is obligated to state substantive changes to start
    exclusion clock, but it's not clear to me that the Director has
    to confirm.

    SteveZ: Ian disconnected publication from process, but the doc
    conflates them and that may be creating confusion.
    ... we've identified this as a bug.

    Ralph: Right, we tried to make this even easier.

    <fantasai> My understanding is that Class1&2 changes can just
    republish, wherease class3&4 changes require re-entry
    procedures for LCCR

    <fantasai> Ralph is saying that in the first case, shouldn't
    set exclusion clock (unless someone later objects that it
    should have been reset and makes a case for that)

    <scribe> ACTION: Charles to update the draft to make a
    distinction between publication and process state changes
    [recorded in
    [9]http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action01
    ]

       [9] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action01

    <trackbot> Created ACTION-17 - Update the draft to make a
    distinction between publication and process state changes [on
    Charles McCathie Nevile - due 2013-11-22].

    <fantasai> and that the second case does reset the clock

    Jeff: Summary of what we are trying to get done. We have an AB
    task force that meets weekly to look at the changes. As an
    important member of the community, it would be good if you
    could join the task force (or at least follow the public list)

    <Ralph> Ralph: in the clarifications Chaals and Fantasai will
    do, the action that starts a new exclusion clock should be
    explicitly linked so that if the words "Last Call" are
    subsequently dropped, the points at which the clock starts
    remain clear

    Jeff: I think you are giving us good input.

    <chaals> ACTION: chaals to ensure that the process keeps it
    clear that the exclusion clock is restarted as needed with new
    LCCR, and that it is possible to produce a new LCCR for changes
    without arbitrary overhead [recorded in
    [10]http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action0
    2]

      [10] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action02

    <trackbot> Created ACTION-18 - Ensure that the process keeps it
    clear that the exclusion clock is restarted as needed with new
    lccr, and that it is possible to produce a new lccr for changes
    without arbitrary overhead [on Charles McCathie Nevile - due
    2013-11-22].

    Fantasai: I'm happy to join the task force

    <Ralph> action-18: restart the exclusion clock only as needed,
    when the WG publishes a new [CR] document version stating that
    there have been substantive changes

    <trackbot> Notes added to action-18 Ensure that the process
    keeps it clear that the exclusion clock is restarted as needed
    with new lccr, and that it is possible to produce a new lccr
    for changes without arbitrary overhead.

    <chaals> [I had added myself to the queue to point out that one
    concern Judy raised was that review requires coordinating
    schedules, which is not really easy, but this process doesn't
    really help that, it just puts a burden on the Working Group to
    ensure they did coordinate with the review groups]

    <chaals> [Actually, I do read the Status sections, and get
    frustrated at editors who don't actually bother putting the
    useful status into it. But I still like the sense of Fantasai's
    proposal]

    <Ralph> Ian: the rationale for the status to be in a particular
    place was so that the World knew where to look

    <Ralph> ... as long as there is a "well understood" place

    IJ: Strong support for:
    ... - Removing "how" from pubrules
    ... - Having clearer top of document
    ... - Having machine-processable information

    Ralph: Yes, there's some compromise language
    ... it's important that people know how to find the
    information; e.g. "status information must be readily
    accessible"

    Ann: Print is still important

    <Zakim> Ralph, you wanted to heap praise on Fantasai

    Fantasai: Agreed; and we can work on that.

    <jcverdie_> [+1 to fantasai's proposal, love it, just needs
    addition of status info imho]

    <Ralph> Ann: make sure critical bits appear in the Print
    version

    SteveZ: There seems to be general agreement that we should put
    the doc requirements on the document, not the particular
    section ("the status section")
    ... and implementation is left to pubrules and UI

    Charles: Proposed s/Status Section/Status information/

    Fantasai: Ok with that

    SteveZ: Can we resolve to change LCCR to Candidate Rec?

    IJ: Yes, if we can change Rec to Standard independently.

    SteveZ: Yes

    RESOLUTION: LCCR is now Candidate Recommendation

    <cwilso> 15 minute break? Are we moving back to #ab?

    <koalie> cwilso, we're breaking in 15'

Summary of Action Items

    [NEW] ACTION: chaals to ensure that the process keeps it clear
    that the exclusion clock is restarted as needed with new LCCR,
    and that it is possible to produce a new LCCR for changes
    without arbitrary overhead [recorded in
    [11]http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action0
    2]
    [NEW] ACTION: Charles to update the draft to make a distinction
    between publication and process state changes [recorded in
    [12]http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action0
    1]

      [11] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action02
      [12] http://www.w3.org/2013/11/15-w3process-minutes.html#action01

    [End of minutes]
      __________________________________________________________


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-- 
  Coralie Mercier  -  W3C Communications Team  -  http://www.w3.org
mailto:coralie@w3.org +336 4322 0001 http://www.w3.org/People/CMercier/

Received on Wednesday, 27 November 2013 11:09:46 UTC