[rights] Apologies + RLTC/XACML

["Hardjono, Thomas" <thardjono@verisign.com>]

Folks,

I would like to apologize for yesterday's outburst at the RLTC call and
explain why I am becoming impatient with our brethren in XACML (or at
least some of them :). I think providing background to the new members
of the RLTC would help clarify the situation.

I was one of the first members of XACML when it was convened in April
2001, with Simon Blackwell as the chair.  I was the person who submitted
"DRM" as one of the use-cases, with David Parrott (Rauters) providing
some DRM requirements from Reuters.

Even in the early days of XACML there was discussion about the existence
of DPRL and XrML, and that any work done within XACML will inevitably
overlap with XrML.  In fact, there was a subcommittee whose task was to
investigate existing IP in DRM. There was no real effort or attempt in
XACML to re-use DPRL or XrML, or to build XACML over these existing two.

My confidence in XACML began to waver in the first few months where it
seemed (to me anyway) that XACML did not progress much and people could
not agree on the meaning of "policy" and "access control" with reference
to the real world needs.  Some folks in XACML were also too concerned
SAML to focus on XACML.

Simon Blackwell then resigned from the XACML Chair on 7 September 2001,
and XACML lost direction for the next couple of months (which is when I
gave up).


VeriSign (who is not a DRM vendor) co-sponsored the creation of the RLTC
because we genuinely believe there is a need for a standard rights
language.  Though a rights language is not a DRM-system, the lack of
such a language is preventing growth and development of the digital
content-industry, which impacts a variety of other players in the
industry.  This is the statements that I have heard in-person from
various CEOs/CTOs/VPs of companies of the likes of BMG-US,
Sony-Pressplay, Sony-Japan etc.).  The content rights-holders have all
the time in the world to wait, as they are making plenty of revenues
with yesterday's technology.

I also believe that a proper rights-language allows for the expression
of fair-use rights of consumers. For those who do not believe my pro
fair-use views, I invite you to read the charter of the IDRM group in
the IETF, which I wrote.  See www.idrm.org.  (ps. I got into so much
trouble in the IETF because of this charter).


Currently I am seeing that members of the XACML group are intentionally
"intervening" (for lack of a better word) in the work of RLTC. Indeed,
it is disconcerting to see that some folks in XACML are encouraging
XACML-members to join RLTC in order to advance the agenda of XACML (eg.
see the XACML May 30th 2002 ConCall Minutes).  Although there nothing
really that the RLTC can do about this, I think such an approach is
counter productive to both groups and may end-up killing both groups.

Here are some suggestions:

 - There is enough work to do in each respective TC and
   that each TC should focus on their own efforts following
   their respective Charters.

 - The notion of members of one TC joining another in order
   to foster "cross-group collaboration" is beginning to get old.
   Too often this is simply an excuse of one group to interfere
   in another.

   Perhaps Oasis or the SJC can do something about this.

 - Within the RLTC meetings, we should not be discussing XACML
   or the work being done there.  Otherwise, the RLTC will 
   never finish.

   If there is a need for TC-synchronization, that can be done
   by Chairs from both TCs, or through a special joint TC
   meeting (e.g. telecon or F2F) periodically.

 - When in public events or speaking engagements, a TC should
   be represented by either its Chair(s) or by a member
   nominated by the TC.  It would also help if members
   from one TC do not characterize incorrectly or demean
   the work/efforts being done in other TCs.


Any thoughts/flames/suggestions?

cheers,

thomas
------





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Thomas Hardjono
Principal Scientist
VeriSign
401 Edgewater Place, Suite 280
Wakefield, MA 01880
Tel: 781-245-6996x231
Fax: 781-245-6006
Email: thardjono@verisign.com
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