> If we follow the combo path, we also commit ourselves to breaking the > function into multiple pieces - which may discriminate against a solution > where other suppliers of services may be able to do "the whole thing" more > effectively than they can do parts of it. that may be the case but (imo) having some of the functions separable gives us more flexibility in the future - for example there are quite a few companies which run mailing lists as a core business - it seems to me that we are in a stronger position to ensure that the mailing list management function is well done by having alternative vendors in the wings - I think this can be done for some specific functions (mailing list and meeting management seem to fit in this category) while other functions would not be easily portable (for example, the clerk function requires an extensive understanding of how the IETF works inside and would be quite hard to swap to a new vendor) thus, I think that the combo way provides us the better way Scott _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf