USENIX Standards Updates

[John S. Quarterman]

From: John S. Quarterman <jsq at usenix.org>

There seems to be a misunderstanding about the purpose of the Standards
Updates that Shane McCarron writes.  As the USENIX Institutional
Representative, who commissioned them, let me attempt to clarify
that purpose.

These reports are part of the involvement of the USENIX Association in
standards activities, which was explained in some detail in the article
which I posted immediately after the most recent set of update
articles, on volunteers for the USENIX Standards Watchdog Committee.
There is another document that is specifically about the kind of
information desired for these reports, and I have just posted it,
as well.  Those are comp.std.unix Volume 15, Numbers 45 and 46.

However, to address the specific common misconception:

	Exactly, Mr. McCarron, relate the information and let
	the reader form his own opinion.

The facts are adequately related in the minutes of the various
standards committee meetings, and these reports are not intended to
duplicate those documents, which anyone can subscribe to directly from
IEEE and the other standards bodies.  What they *are* intended to do is
to provide context that does *not* appear in the minutes, such as
relations with other committees, plans (whether actual, tentative, or
rejected), the various sides of controversial issues, and the potential
effects of all these.  Brief summaries of what was accomplished at the
most recent meetings and schedules of future meetings are also part of
this context, but are far from all that the reports were commissioned
to report.  The basic goal of the reports is to provide information to
the USENIX membership and to the general public about standards and the
standards process, so that more of those who should be involved will
become involved.

This kind of contextual information involves opinions, either Shane's
or someone else's.  The reports are supposed to be editorials, not just
journalism.  Readers may not agree with opinions in them.  I encourage
those who disagree to submit articles pointing out what they think is
incorrect about the reports (anything from factual errors to being too
judgemental to long-windedness), and expressing their own opinions.
Even those who agree might want to post clarifications, elaborations,
or additions.

In addition, chairs or secretaries (or members) of committees are free
to post rebuttals, or, better, to compose and post their own reports
(whether strictly factual or including opinions) about their committees.
The chair of IEEE 1003.2 has done this (Volume 15, Number 28).  I encourage
others to do so.

John S. Quarterman, USENIX Institutional Representative to IEEE 1003.

[ These reports were commissioned specifically for comp.std.unix/std-unix
and for ;login:, the Newsletter of the USENIX Association.  As moderator
of that newsgroup and mailing list, I once again encourage other postings.
Readers are also welcome to contact me, Shane, or other posters directly.
-mod ]

Volume-Number: Volume 15, Number 50