[legalxml-courtfiling] Proposed Procedures on Version Numbering andFile Naming

["Winters, Roger" <Roger.Winters@METROKC.GOV>]

Title: Message

Hello, ECF TC members,

 

From the Minutes circulated today there was an item concerning proposed version numbering for specifications (see below). Shane Durham and I discussed that proposal and decided to develop it as a proposed rule on version numbering and file naming. I have developed that proposal (attached to this email in Word format) and Shane was kind enough to review it and make suggestions. The scope for this covers specifications, other deliverables, and the file names they would have, e.g., when published to the TC's Web site. The file names will serve as an aid to and indicator of version management. There is also guidance in this proposal on how to interpret the relationship between different specifications based on their version numbers and some suggestions on how to refer to and compare them in normal English, that is, without citing the numbers.

 

Please note that the author of a document does not have to master the methodology nor memorize how to construct a file name. That is a service provided by the Editor, based on a request for guidance or a copy of an initial draft or new version of a document or file.

 

I suggest that this proposal be an item for discussion and vote at the face-to-face meeting in Las Vegas, December 12-13. (The TC Chairs will, of course, set up the Agenda.) Of course, comments on the Listserv in the meantime would contribute to the discussion and perhaps make the need for further discussion at the meeting minimal. If approved there, as-is or with modifications, I assume the same method John Greacen described today for the Minutes--unless there are objections to them, the decisions recorded in the Minutes will become final--would apply.

 

Please let me know of any questions, etc. Please post comments to the Listserv.

 

Regards,

 

Roger

 

Roger Winters, Editor

Electronic Court Filing Technical Committee

Legal XML Member Section of OASIS

 

Electronic Court Records Manager

King County
Department of Judicial Administration

516 Third Avenue, E-609 MS: KCC-JA-0609

Seattle, Washington 98104

V: (206) 296-7838 F: (206) 296-0906

roger.winters@metrokc.gov

 

From the Minutes:

 

Mr. Shane Durham discussed versioning rules for Technical Committee specifications.  He recommended a three-level version numbering scheme.  Changes to the first number would indicate non-compatibility with prior versions.  Changes to the second number would indicate that the newer version would parse prior versions, but not vice versa.  Changes to the third number would reflect insignificant changes, such as adding content to replace holder other changes

that do not reflect a change in the XML.  A trivial example would be adding a space or comment to the DTD.  Ms. Robin Gibson pointed out that some documents may not reflect this new rule and their version numbers will NOT be updated. 

Mr. Durham will write this up, Mr. Winters will edit, and it will be sent to the list.

 

Attachment: Info-Candidate-LegalXML-ECF-Winters-VersionNumbers-00.DOC
Description: MS-Word document