Action Item - Policy and Procedure for Timely Publication

Gene Milligan Gene_Milligan at notes.seagate.com
Fri Sep 2 13:17:09 PDT 1994


X3T10 Standards Development Policy and Procedure
Proposed
9/2/94
 
Background:
 
 The bulk of X3T10 projects and resources are directed towards the computer
industry. This industry is characterized by dynamic growth, diverse
applications, exponential performance growth rates, fierce competition, and
short product life cycles. As a key and central aspect of these
characteristics, the customers demand standards. Timeliness is paramount.
Consequently it makes little difference whether the standards be de jure or de
facto as long as they are responsive.
 
 Although there has been tweaking at the margins of the X3 process there has
been no major overhaul to adjust to the dynamics of our industry. It is
important for us to align our process with the facts of the industry. At the
same time we must maintain the safeguards of due process that have been a
hallmark of X3. The following Policy and Procedure is defined to achieve both
needs.
 
Policy:
 
 It is the policy of X3T10 to: focus standards development within the defined
scope of X3T10; control the development schedule to achieve timely publication;
and to provide regular updates of adopted standards which need enhancements to
fuel advancements in the industry. It is also the policy of X3T10 to tailor the
activity within the general provisions of the X3 Policies and Procedures.
 
Procedures:
 
Introduction:
 
 These procedures are in accordance with the X3-SD2. They add additional
definitions which facilitate timely, proactive standards within the scope of
X3T10.
 
Project Initiation:
 
 A proposal for a new project may be made by any participant of X3T10. The
proposal can take any form that the proposer thinks will be effective in
persuading the committee that it is a worthy project. Preliminary discussion of
the merits of the project should include both E-Mail and Plenary discussion.
 
 If a majority of the membership does not object to the initial proposal, the
Chair shall authorize a study effort to assess the requirements for the
proposed standard, to generate a schedule for the development and publication,
and to develop working papers. Although the study effort in terms of ad hoc or
working group meetings will require regular re-authorization, there is no
requirement for participants to stop development work unless an actual new
project proposal is rejected by the OMC and/or X3.
 
 When the study effort has developed a new project proposal in accordance with
the X3 SD-3, X3T10 should take a forwarding action on the new project proposal.
The dpANS should not be forwarded ahead of the approval of the new project by
the OMC.
 
 If a majority of the membership does object to the initial proposal, remaining
proponents are free, but not necessarily encouraged to seek additional support
for the proposal or to adjust the proposal to better fit the views of X3T10.
The proposer can also move the adoption of the proposal for a new project in
spite of formidable odds against its adoption.
 
 There are also some special circumstances for the automatic initiation of new
project study programs as outlined later in these procedures. The automatic
initiation is a pivotal aspect of the regular publication policy.
 
Project Control:
 
 The Chair shall appoint subject to approval by a simple majority a project
leader for each new project for which the Chair has authorized a study project
and/or which has been approved by X3. The project leader may or may not be the
document editor. The project leader shall be responsible for providing a
progress report including schedule adherence, key issues, and corrective
actions at each plenary.
 
 The document editor shall be responsible for maintenance of the document
reflecting agreements of X3T10. As a part of that responsibility, the document
editor shall make available at each meeting a listing of specific items (a
portion of the document covered by a numbered individual proposal [e.g. Caching
Page change proposal X3T10/99-8357]) accepted but not yet included in the
current working document.
 
Working Document Acceptance:
 
 When a revised or new document is moved for acceptance, the project editor, or
proposer if there is no project editor, shall identify the technical changes
which are newly included in the revision to be accepted. The identification can
take the form of a listing of item document numbers which are newly
incorporated. This requirement is facilitated by the fact that the project
editor is not authorized to make technical changes without submitting an item
proposal as would any other participant. For technical items which are
instigated verbally through a meeting motion rather than an item paper, such
items shall be identified by reference to the meeting minutes document number.
Since working document acceptance is not final action, only a simple majority
is required for acceptance.
 
Working Document Stabilization:
 
 There can be significant expense involved to test a standard. Since the burden
for testing falls on a voluntary membership, it is important that X3T10 assist
this process by providing guidance as to the stability of a dpANS. While there
is no requirement that this be indicated ahead of a forwarding vote, for
complex projects, X3T10 should take a vote to stabilize when they judge the
dpANS ready for testing by implementors. Since the goal is prompt publication,
the reason for a stabilization period is to prepare for publication while
confirmation testing is carried out. The required vote for stabilization is a
majority of the membership (this includes 2/3 of those voting). While
stabilized the following special voting rules apply:
 
 1) Correction of a technical error shown by inspection or testing to be
classified as a technical error - simple majority
 
 2) Correction of an editorial error - no vote required
 
 3) Inclusion of a previously accepted item which is on the Editors List of
Accepted Items but not yet edited into the document - no vote required
 
 4) Inclusion of a previously accepted item which is not on the Editors List of
Accepted Items but not yet edited into the document - simple majority
 
 5) Inclusion of a new item - majority of the membership
 
 6) Inclusion of better wording - simple majority
 
 7) Change from stabilized to unstabilized - majority of the membership
 
Automatic Initiation of a New Study Effort:
 
 The purpose of this section is to facilitate agreement to publish a sound
standard and yet account for the need for evolutionary enhancements. There are
three periods in the processing of a dpANS which are subject to the automatic
initiation: Stabilized Period; Public Review; and X3 Letter Ballot. The latter
two periods shall be interpreted as commencing with X3T10 forwarding and ending
with provision of the standard to the BSR.
 
 If during the stabilization period a new item receives a simple majority but
not a majority of the membership, a follow up vote shall be taken to initiate a
study effort for a dpANS - (n+1). The study effort is authorized with a simple
majority. Any other subsequent items which receive a simple majority but not a
majority of the membership are automatically assigned to the study for dpANS -
(n+1). Note that study may be a full fledged development effort depending upon
the availability of resources. For dpANS - (n+1) studies, a preliminary
schedule for publication should be targeted early in the study.
 
 If problems develop such that X3T10 destabilizes a project, any dpANS - (n+1)
items are then eligible for consideration in dpANS - (n).
 
 Comments that arise in the Public Review and X3 letter ballot should be
handled similarly to items arising during the stabilization period.
 
 1) Correction of a technical error shown by inspection or testing to be
classified as a technical error - simple majority determines if dpANS should be
recalled for correction or if an errata should be published with the ANS.
 
 2) Correction of an editorial error - no vote required
 
 3) Inclusion of a previously accepted item which is on the Editors List of
Accepted Items but left out of the document - automatic new study effort or
automatic inclusion on the dpANS-(n+1) list.
 
 4) Inclusion of a previously accepted item which is not on the Editors List of
Accepted Items but not yet edited into the document - automatic new study
effort or automatic inclusion on the dpANS-(n+1) list.
 
 5) Inclusion of a new item - treated as a new proposal for dpANS-(n+1) or (7)
applies
 
 6) Inclusion of better wording - simple majority providing it does not cause
additional public review or a new X3 ballot. Otherwise subject to (7)
 
 7) Recall of the dpANS for any reason except (1) - majority of the membership
 
Machine Readable Revision Control:
 
 X3T10 shall provide on a forward looking basis a means for software
interrogation of the revision level of compliant standard implementations.
X3T10 shall also by a majority of the membership determine which document
revisions are deemed appropriate for reporting. There is no requirement for
revisions ahead of stabilization to be required for reporting, but the
revisions at stabilization and forwarding shall as a minimum be included in the
appropriate list. For standards which become subject to the dpANS-(n+1)
provisions the reporting shall accommodate a distinction of revisions extending
throughout the series. In the case of layered standards, the physical layer
revision provision may not be appropriate at that layer, however an upper layer
protocol standard shall provide provision for the reporting of revisions of
lower layers without the facility. This provision is included to facilitate the
concept of regular publication.
 
Extensive Public Review:
 
 In order to further facilitate the timely publication of standards, X3T10
shall proactively seek wide dissemination of  proposals, issues, and documents
not just during the formal and essentially too late Public Review but
throughout the development process.
 
 The Chair shall request volunteers to provide at least a X3T10 Internet
Reflector. If appropriate, additional volunteers should be sought to provide
Reflectors on a dpANS-(n+1) basis. If volunteers can not be found,
consideration should be given to purchasing the service by a special assessment
to the mailing fee. Admission to meetings, mailings, and reflectors shall be
open to all that comply with X3T10 and Internet rules. In addition all accepted
working documents shall be made available via an FTP sight providing a
volunteer has provided that service. At the option of X3T10 a BBS may be used
in addition to or in lieu of the Internet.
 
 Press releases announcing new X3T10 projects shall include information on how
to access at least the X3T10 principal reflector and/or BBS along with the
information that is routinely included in new project press releases.
 
Revision of the X3T10 Policies and Procedures:
 
 0) Adoption by a majority of the membership with immediate effectivity (but
not implemented retroactively) and subject to amendment or cancellation if not
ratified by X3.
 
 1) Substantive change - majority of the membership with immediate effectivity
(unless otherwise specified) and subject to subsequent ratification by X3.
 
 2) Correction of an editorial error - no vote required
 
 3) Inclusion of better wording - simple majority
 
 4) Discontinuance of the Policy and/or Procedure for any reason except
disapproval by X3 - majority of the membership with immediate effectivity.
 
 
--
Gene Milligan -- Gene_Milligan at notes.seagate.com
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### Org Date:    09-02-94 12:48:56 PM
### From:        Gene Milligan at SEAGATE
### To:          scsi @ wichitaks.ncr.com @ internet
### Subject:     Action Item - Policy and Procedure for Timely Publication
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