[oslc-core] Decision process in OSLC... Re: Renaming property oslc:discussion to oslc:partOfDiscussion for oslc:Comment

[Dave]

On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 10:41 AM, Olivier Berger
<olivier.berger at it-sudparis.eu> wrote:
> Le vendredi 21 janvier 2011 à 15:03 -0500, Steve K Speicher a écrit :
>> Per issues #22 & 23 [1] and discussion at CM [2] and Core [3] working
>> groups, it was decided to rename of the Core resource definition of
>> oslc:Comment whose property of oslc:discussion to be oslc:partOfDiscussion
>> [4]
>> Also a OSLC common property oslc:discussedBy was added to [4]
>>
>> [1] http://open-services.net/bin/view/Main/OslcCoreV1Issues
>> [2] http://open-services.net/bin/view/Main/CmMeetings20110119
>> [3] http://open-services.net/bin/view/Main/OslcCoreMeetings20110119
>> [4] http://open-services.net/bin/view/Main/OSLCCoreSpecAppendixA
>>
>
> Am I right in understanding that this is a change in already validated
> specs ?

Yes.


> Am I the only one who thinks that maybe the process could be improved if
> such changes were to be decided online and asynchronously instead of in
> conf-call meetings ?
>
> I think if OSLC seeks to become an open standard managed by a community,
> then asynchronous + written communication should be preferred to
> synchronous + oral.

OSLC work groups do "real" work during their weekly telecon meetings,
make decisions, assign action items and I agree with you, this is not
an ideal situation for an international community spread across
timezones, or those with a conflict at 10AM US/ET. I think we can
improve this.

Other organizations, Apache for example, require that everything be
discussed, decided and recorded via mailing lists. When a question or
vote is put to the community, the etiquette is to wait 72 hours so
that all timezones have time to respond. Apache folk do communicate
via IRC channels and face to face meetings, but all decisions are
carried back to the mailing list.

Our telecon meetings are very valuable and I wouldn't want to stop
them, even if all WG members cannot attend. Maybe we can address this
problem by improving our meeting minutes and highlighting the
decisions made. For example, we could require that meeting minutes
include a numbered list of the decisions made during the meeting. This
list should be posted to the work group mailing list so that everybody
can see it and can react accordingly.


> There are probably good online howtos re running an online community /
> decision process, but maybe I'm the only one not feeling comfortable
>
> Regarding the name change, it's not such a big deal.

I'm glad we're OK in this case.

Thanks,
- Dave