Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] Interoperability versus Conformity

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

"Sam Johnston" <samj@samj.net> wrote
on 06/11/2008 02:31:25 PM:

> Thanks for clarifying Rob.
> 
> I think that your comments on the Acid Test are on the mark, though
> it could be preferable to capture the enthusiasm now rather than 
> stifling/deferring it as (provided we are careful with IPR) this 
> could be specified in the charter and incorporated by the TC. The
> Acid Test should be an ongoing effort rather than a one-time task,
> likely linked to audience requirements moreso than spec releases.
It
> should be possible to initially generate a test for common usage 
> scenarios and raise the bar with each test release, with a complete
> test for the latest version of ODF specified as a TC deliverable in
> addition to a more rigorous test suite.
> 
> The moniker 'Acid Test' presumably stems from litmus test whereby
a 
> result is quickly and simply obtained, and I think is important both
> to demonstrate the purpose and to differentiate from a more rigorous
> quantititative suite which would appeal to decision makers & third
> party certification labs. The Acid Test would be more interesting
> then to end users, media and as a result, vendors.
> 
> Accordingly I have set up a separate site where we can capture such
> contributions and which can outlive this transitive list if need be
at:
> 
> http://sites.google.com/a/odfiic.org/acid/
> 

OK.  That is good.  It is beyond/outside
of the TC formation discussion goal of creating a charter, so I have authority
(or reason) to object.  

My one word of advice would be to take efforts to
keep the IP pedigree of your work clean, so if you do contribute it to
the TC eventually, it will be consumable by us.  An example of a problem
would be if three people collaborated on the effort, and then only two
of them joined the new TC, and the remaining person tried to assert ownership.
 You should probably review the language in Section 5.1 of the OASIS
IPR Policy and consider have all collaborators fill out the form in Appendix
B before do contribute: http://www.oasis-open.org/who/intellectualproperty.php#appendixb

That's why it is easier to work on these things after
the TC is created, because at that point all TC members have already agreed
to OASIS's IPR Policy and their obligations are clear and documented.

-Rob