Re: [chairs] What can Standards Development / TC Administration do to help?

[James Bryce Clark <jamie.clark@oasis-open.org>]

Hi, all.  Mary, that's a *great* question that started off this thread.

I have to agree with Rob W. about mandating a single file format at
first.   OASIS spec formats are too diverse, today.

The last time we discussed that in detail, a few years ago, the
perceived problem wasn't the availability of transforms.   It was
tooling.   Name a widely-available tool that (a) lots of
non-software-expert editors readily can use, and (b) outputs in all of
the alternative formats that a TC might reasonably want?

Still, some single designated XML format probably could cover a large
*share* of cases.

Instead of a mandate, maybe its accurate use could confer
preferential review speed, as Rob said.  Or maybe an easier "pass"
based on parsing tools as Bob F. suggested.

Imagine a system where your document must survive a human staff parse,
to start a CS vote;  but you can self-help to first CD, simply by
passing an automated portal parse.

Sort of a "Full Mary" at one level and a "Half Mary" at the other?
Might save some wear and tear on the real Mary & her team.  And speed
things up.

Regards Jamie