Re: Priority Definitions for Sections 2 and 3

aloha, kynn!

it is clear to me, as well, that we need to re-define our priorities
(somehow, that doesn't sound quite right, but i'll let it slide), but i am
not sure that having 2 or 3 sets of priorities in a single document is the
solution...  there is clearly a need for an explicit statement of the
criteria you enumerated, but having one set of priorities for Section 1
and another for Section 2 is to risk confusing anyone attempting to use
the GL as it is intended--as a checklist and a quick reference document... 

that being said, i do like your definitions, although at the risk of
invoking bill's wrath, i would suggest replacing the shorter (and,
somewhat pejorative) word "naive" with the compound word, "non-technical" 
although i suppose since our target audience is developers, no naive user
will ever know that we consider him or her "naive" (note that i personally
don't have a beef with calling them "naive" users, but users tend to be
touchy about such things)

i suppose that what we are really grappling with is a philosophical issue:
to wit, does the fact that each section quote measure[s] different things
unquote warrant re-defining -- or, rather, drafting -- discrete priority
criteria for each section, as you have done, or should we attempt to make
the priorities more elastic...  either route, at this point, seems to me,
at least, to be a dilution of the concept of what constitutes a priority,
and yet, there is much to your argument that, since each section addresses
a different issue, each section warrants its own definition of what a
priority means vis a vis that section... 

do others share my concerns, or am i just blowing hot air?  would having 3
sets of priorities dilute the Guidelines, or would it clarify and
re-emphasize the import of each section?  what would be the ramification
of a ratings system/conformance statement that rolled 3 different priority
criteria into one blanket conformance claim (to use the WCGL's
terminology)

gregory.

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Received on Wednesday, 21 April 1999 17:50:03 UTC