On 11/15/2012 4:45 AM, t.p. wrote:
I started, some years ago, with a meeting, because the culture that I
was used to was that conferences, be they annual or triannual, were
where things really happened and that e-mail filled in the gaps in
between (and I think that this remains the case in other, related,
fora). That attendance showed me that most of the IETF meeting was a
waste of time, that it was e-mail that was the main vehicle for work,
and I think that the IETF web site has it about right when it says
"People interested in particular technical issues join the mailing list
of a WG and occasionally attend one or more of the three IETF meetings
held every year."
and
"After participating by email for a while, it may be time to attend your
first meeting."
which is not exactly sellling the idea of attending meetings:-) But as
I say, I think that that is the nature of the IETF.
I've always felt that: between the meetings, four months worth of work
gets done, and then during the meeting, another four months worth of
work gets done.
I've found this to be true over and over.
Tony Hansen