On 25/04/2019 09:26, Adrian Farrel wrote:
It doesn't make sense to ask a person who lacks extensive travel
resources to fly to Canada to hold a BoF about a short draft.
I understand the situation, and having been in that place for years, am empathetic.
But the proposed alternative seems to be "take my draft as-is"
That would certainly be a Bad Thing (TM).
But why can't we operate through IETF business as usual? That is, debate the content of the draft on the mailing list (whichever one is deemed appropriate), make concrete proposals for change, update the draft until concerns have been addressed (RFC7282), test consensus with a last call, and move ahead to publication?
Oh, I know why we can't do that: That approach requires an AD to sponsor the draft, and no AD has stepped up. (Just recall that agreeing to sponsor does not mean instant acceptance of the work and publication as an RFC, it is the start of the process that might still need long years of debate on the mailing list.)
Given the amount of discussion, the "normal" process for something like
this would be for the IETF Chair to ask for an IESG volunteer to sponsor
the draft, and if one were not forthcoming to sponsor it themselves.
Even if it was not to their personal liking all that is required is
studied neutrality on the part of the IESG member and a fair hearing
from all members of the IETF community.
If it goes through due process, the result is the result, even if the
result is not to the taste of the IESG.
If (and this is perfectly possible) the problem statement is not obvious to readers of the draft, the answer is surely not to have a BoF where the proponents are asked to clarify the problem and scope: the answer would be to write a short email saying "I read your draft and I find the scope and problem statement unclear. Could you please write some more words to help me understand it." If (equally possible) someone wants to address a different problem or has a different view of what the scope should be, they do not need a BoF to have that discussion, they can raise their aspirations in an email.
We do not need to hold a BoF every time anyone wants to suggest a small change to IETF process.
I would agree.
- Stewart
