need input on doc mgmt at OASIS

[Karl Best <karl.best@oasis-open.org>]

Chairs:

Now that we've got the new collaborative tools (Kavi) up and running -- 
though with a few minor fixes still required, we're thinking about the 
next bit of major functionality that we need to provide to our TCs. 
We're aware that the Kavi tools don't provide the complete functionality 
that we need for management of documents produced by the TCs, so would 
like to address this problem next.

For a long time we've been using ftp so the TCs could manage their own 
docs, which has pros and cons. The Kavi tools provide some level of 
functionality, but not everything that we need. We've also got a 
registered URN name space but no way to manage or administer this.

We need an integrated solution that will allow us to do the following:

* allow the TCs to manage all of their docs in a consistent manner
* require permissions for different types of people (members, chairs, 
public, etc.) to perform different functions
* use the just-completed doc naming scheme (from the chairs mail list)
* use the OASIS URN namespace, and provide some mechanism for 
administering this
* ensure persistent URLs, both for existing docs and into the future
* include a CVS collaborative development environment
* take advantage of at least some of the Kavi doc repository 
functionality (notification of TC members, etc.)
* provide for long-term archiving of completed and approved OASIS Standards
* provide adequate security for the server and files located there

In addition, whatever we come up with needs to be built using limited 
(or donated) resources, and needs to run on existing OASIS server resources.

This is certainly not a complete list of requirements, but just some of 
the things I can think of off the top of my head. Some issues are 
related to functionality, others to usability; we need to address both.

All of this is more than we here on OASIS staff are going to be able to 
solve, and as you, the TC chairs, are the users of most of this we need 
your input and expertise.

I would like to assemble a small, ad hoc committee of OASIS members that 
could help us come up with first a list of requirements that we would 
then circulate for comment, then a proposed solution that we would also 
circulate for comment before starting to build a solution.

If you are interested in helping with this project please let me know. 
If there are people in your TC that you think might be interested or 
have expertise in this area please forward this to them and ask them to 
respond to me. I'd like to get this going soon, as there is a fairly 
urgent need to have this problem solved.

thanks
-Karl


=================================================================
Karl F. Best
Vice President, OASIS
office  +1 978.667.5115 x206     mobile +1 978.761.1648
karl.best@oasis-open.org      http://www.oasis-open.org