- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 14:04:12 -0500
- To: gv@trace.wisc.edu
- CC: "'Kynn Bartlett'" <kynn-edapta@idyllmtn.com>, "'Charles McCathieNevile'" <charles@w3.org>, "'Heather Swayne'" <hswayne@microsoft.com>, "'WAI Cross-group list'" <wai-xtech@w3.org>
Gregg Vanderheiden wrote:
>
> Ooooooooo
>
> This gets right to the core of our soft spot.
>
> There will ALWAYs be someone who can't use something.. (so everything is
> P1?)
I think there's a difference between these two statements:
a) This may be impossible for some people but we don't have
definite criteria for knowing that.
b) This will be impossible for some people and we are certain
of this for the following reasons...
It is possible to define P1 in terms of what is known (with rationale),
and not in terms of what may be impossible for reasons unknown.
[I can't remember the terms from logical programming for requiring
explicit negation v. negation by absence.]
> And we can't define what is "harder enough" to push a P3 to a P2.
I agree.
> SO I am afraid that we will have to admit that what we do is get a group of
> talented and informed people together and do our best to define what is
> reasonable to put into categories 1 2 and 3.
I think I agree with that. I also think that people prefer the three-way
grouping (impossible, hard, beneficial) over the two-way groupings
that have been proposed in the past (impossible/possible,
required/optional).
I think it is useful to write down criteria that are used in practice
to determine whether something is impossible, beneficial, or
just difficult. Perhaps it is not necessary to change the rating scale
but simply to:
a) Establish in advance a set of WG guidelines for determining
priority.
b) Document (in the guidelines) the rationale for choosing a particular
priority. I believe that a lot of time is wasted rehashing priority
discussions because the WG has forgotten the rationale for a
decision. Putting the information right in the checkpoint
will help the WG remember and will instruct other readers.
- Ian
--
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel: +1 831 457-2842
Cell: +1 917 450-8783
Received on Wednesday, 21 March 2001 14:04:34 UTC