Interoperability event?

So, in response to the call for a meeting, Yaron wrote, on the topic of
whether to have an in-person interoperability event:

> > 3. Organizing an interoperability event
>
> Why? I know bake offs are popular but WebDAV seems to have been having a
> continual back off for months now just by having folks put their
> implementations on the net. Unless I have seriously missed something it
> seems to work damn well.

While it's true there have been lots of good experiences testing clients and
servers over the net, with each server having a test location at a known
address, these tests have been limited in some ways.  Existing clients don't
test the full range of capabilities of WebDAV -- none use PROPPATCH, and
Depth locking is not used either.  So, one purpose of such an event would be
to do more thorough compiance testing, as well as just interoperability.
But, still, this could potentially be done remotely.

In my view, the big benefit from holding it face to face comes from getting
a critical mass of WebDAV developers together in the same room, so they
could meet each other, exchange tips and ideas, and in general build a
stronger community.  Side benefits come from being able to quickly iterate
through a test-fix-test cycle.  If the event is a success, it could be
possible to send out a press release, something along the lines of
"Successful DAV interoperability demonstrated".

But, like the support organization, many of the hurdles to holding such an
event are organizational.  Since this event needs to be vendor-neutral, it
typically should be held somewhere that isn't a company facility.  People
need to bring themselves, and some machines in.  The sponsoring organization
needs to arrange for net access, and a network in the room.  Security is
antoher consideration.  Someone needs to coordinate this activity.

So, the question is, should we try to hold a face-to-face interoperability
event, or should we instead continue with the current online-based testing?
What do you think?

- Jim

Received on Friday, 24 September 1999 15:18:50 UTC