On Jun 12, 2013, at 3:31 PM, Peter Saint-Andre <stpeter@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I think these messages are useless, not harmful. But perhaps I have > more confidence in the inherent skepticism of your average IETF > participant than Pete does... FWIW, until I read Pete's document on consensus, I thought that +1 statements were part of the consensus process. This was not a strongly held opinion—it was just my understanding of how consensus operated, from having watched other working group chairs run their working groups. I think the point Pete is making is very important, because the consensus process Pete describes is more in keeping with how I think the IETF ought to operate than the process in which +1 counts for something. (BTW, in case it wasn't obvious, I've been engaging in this discussion with my AD and working group chair experience in the back of my mind, but my AD hat off.)