Re: [David Kessens] DISCUSS: draft-carpenter-rescind-3683

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David Kessens <david.kessens@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sat, Oct 21, 2006 at 07:14:41PM -0400, John Leslie wrote:
>> 
>> If we ever do have ADs interested in restoring the rights, I quite
>> specifically do _not_ want to repeat the denial-of-service attack on
>> this list.
> 
> What denial-of service attack are you talking about ?

   Caught me there: I was being intentionally vague... ;^(

> Without the PR actions, the IESG would have had to discuss every
> longer than 30 day suspension every so often.

   That is not the way I read Brian's draft. (Perhaps we should wordsmith
it so _nobody_ can read it that way?)

> Every decision would be appealable and would result in using even more
> valuable IESG resources each and every time we would make such a
> decision as it would have been necessary to decide the merits of each
> and every individual suspension over and over again (and for anybody
> who has not been present during such discussions, we take this kind of
> decisions very seriously and spend a lot of time to make sure that the
> chosen approach is/was the proper/wrong one).

   A RFC 3683 P-R action _needs_ to be taken that seriously. A one-week
time-out on a single WG mailing list _shouldn't_ be taken that seriously.
In the middle, I'm not sure we have consensus...

   Brian's draft tries to _design_ a middle where we can have reasonable
consensus that the IESG doesn't need to discuss it, least of all reach
consensus about where the blame lies.

   You've been there, David: you _know_ it's hard!

>> IMHO, the strong majority of IETF participants are willing to let
>> the IESG design a process to deal with these two special cases _if_
>> the occasion even arises!
> 
> Although I am flattered that you have that much confidence in the
> IESG, I believe it is not the right thing to do.

   Oh, I think it is! ;^)

> This draft allows the IESG way more leeway than necessary to perform
> its job.

   Perhaps -- but I _really_ don't want to risk allowing them _less_
than they need.

> I agree that it is desirable that the IESG can allow longer suspensions
> than 30 days that would fall between 30 day suspensions and a full
> fledged PR action.

   That's a good start...

> However, the current text in the draft allows the IESG to take
> suspension actions without any limits that are way beyond what is
> reasonable as there is no limit of the duration of the suspension as
> the word 'progessively longer suspensions' is totally undefined and
> there is no community oversight required when suspensions get really
> lengthy:

   I freely admit that "progressively longer" can be interpreted to
mean "doubling for each similar infraction, without limit". In fact,
that is exactly what I would _like_ it to mean.

   I do not believe the current IESG members would endorse suspensions
that severe. The evidence is _quite_ strong that the IESG always will
choose a moderate path. (It drives me crazy sometimes!)

   I'm not sure what David means by "community oversight" here. In the
world as I observe it, the IESG is _never_ lacking community input.
Does David mean that somebody other than the appeal bodies above them
should be expected to overrule them? If so, who?

> In addition, the following text is troublesome to me:
> 
>  Other methods of mailing list control may be considered but must be
>  approved by the AD(s) and the IESG.

   Send text, please.

> This basically allows the IESG to do whatever it pleases without
> requiring community input. And because of this, it will also be hard
> to appeal any decisions made this way as this draft supports the idea
> that the IESG has the authority to do so.

   I don't read it that way. "Community input" can be something other
than a formal last-call; but a consensus-based body like the IESG isn't
likely to change its rules very much very often. Any "methods" approved
by the IESG _must_ be documented, and will most likely be published
in IETF Operational Notes. Rest assured, IESG members _will_ hear about
it if folks find them unreasonable.

>> Ned Freed <ned.freed@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>>> I think what this draft describes is a reasonable thing to have, but
>>> IMO it is not a substitute for RFC 3683.
>> 
>> It does not attempt to be a "substitute". It attempts to give needed
>> power to WGCs, subject to review by ADs under rules established by the
>> IESG. I believe this is what most folks want; and I do not believe that
>> most folks want to be subjected to lengthy arguments whether so-and-so
>> is a bad person.
> 
> I don't know where you read this: the only power it gives a working
> group chair is that (s)he can ask an AD or the IESG for permission to
> do a longer than 30 day suspension. Asking questions is not a lot of
> power.

   Asking for something the AD is empowered to approve can be sufficient
power. (We need to wait to see what ADs _will_ be empowered to approve.)

>>> This is where my problem lies. In the absence of a mechanism with
>>> characteristics similar to RFC 3683, I cannot support rescinding it.
>> 
>> And, no surprise, I cannot support keeping a mechanism which generates
>> denial-of-service-like situations on this mailing-list and within the
>> IESG.
> 
> I don't see what you base this on.

   Personal opinion -- just like Ned's opinion above it.

   (It may help you understand if you consider how many years I watched
USENET flamewars develop, reaching the conclusion that they must be
de-fanged _quickly_...)

> Not having this mechanism created way bigger problems than having this
> mechanism. This mechanism was created for a reason and it worked.

   I recognize that David believes this; and I really doubt anything
any of us can say will change that belief. I only hope David will accept
that there might possibly be a better mechanism.

====
   That's enough for one post. I'll address David's question about the
difference between WG and non-WG lists in a separate post.

   (I think we're on the way to a productive exchange here; so I don't
mind risking a higher spot an the Narten list. ;^)

--
John Leslie <john@xxxxxxx>

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