OASIS Mailing List ArchivesView the OASIS mailing list archive below
or browse/search using MarkMail.

 


Help: OASIS Mailing Lists Help | MarkMail Help

ebcore message

[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [List Home]


Subject: RE: [ebcore] FW: [chairs] FAQ regarding upcoming TC Process changes



Is question 10 really saying that if a TC wants to present
its work using a slide presentation,  that slide
presentation is a "non-standards track document" ?  With
*every slide* required to have a statement about patents?
Does a TC need to take a vote before it can do a
presentation?  Is a TC no longer allowed to do a
presentation without having put it out for public review
first?  

Pim

-----Original Message-----
From: Breininger, Kathryn R
[mailto:kathryn.r.breininger@boeing.com] 
Sent: 05 October 2010 18:19
To: ebXML Regrep; ebcore@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: [ebcore] FW: [chairs] FAQ regarding upcoming TC
Process changes

 
The new TC process policy will roll out mid-October. Below
are some FAQs addressing common questions related to the new
policies.


Kathryn Breininger
Manager, Standards Authoring, Release, & Technical Orders
Product Standards Office
Boeing Research & Technology
The Boeing Company

MC 62-LC
425-965-0242 desk
425-512-4281 cell
425-237-4582 fax

How are we doing?  Please click on the attached link to take
the Product Standards Office Customer Satisfaction Survey.
PSO Customer Survey

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary McRae [mailto:mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org] 
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 7:07 PM
To: chairs@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: [chairs] FAQ regarding upcoming TC Process changes

As part of the new TC Process Policy rollout, we have
prepared this FAQ. It will be posted online and linked from
the OASIS TC Process Policy page at
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php. More
information will be provided over the next two weeks.


TC PROCESS POLICY FAQ

This document provides a non-normative overview of the OASIS
TC Process Policy as revised by the OASIS Board of Directors
in July 2010. It is offered as a supplemental resource only.
For comprehensive information, the normative OASIS TC
Process Policy should be referenced. Additional information
is provided in the TC Handbook. If inconsistencies between
any of these documents are found, the official policies take
precedence.

Overview
-------
This is the first major revision to the OASIS TC Process
since 2005. In an effort to help our members become familiar
with the new rules, a number of resources are available.
These include live and recorded webinars, our TC
Handbook/help system, and these FAQs which will be updated
as questions are received. As always, please feel free to
contact the OASIS TC Administrator with any questions or if
you need further assistance. 

1. When does this new TC Process go into effect, and how
does it apply to existing projects?
The new TC Process goes into effect on 15 October 2010
(simultaneous with the new IPR Policy). Specifications that
are either out for Public Review or have completed a 60-day
Public Review as of 15 October 2010 AND are submitted for
OASIS Standard Ballot on or before 15 January 2011 will be
subject to the requirements in Section 3.4 in effect on 1
September 2009. Any specifications that have not been
submitted for Public Review or have been submitted but the
review has not yet been announced on 15 October 2010; or
have completed the Public Review process but are not
submitted for OASIS Standard Ballot by 13 January 2011, will
be subject to the requirements in Section 3.4 in effect on
15 October 2010.

Major Changes
------------
Introduction of Non-Standards Track Work Products
-----------------------------------------
The OASIS Board Process Committee has been working for over
2 years to add a "non-standards" TC approval track. This
provides a means for TCs to approve as a Committee Note any
material that is not intended to become an OASIS Committee
Specification or OASIS Standard. These could be primers,
explanatory material, presentations and white papers that
can now be approved by the TC as representing its views.
Non-Standards Track Work Products do not contain Normative
Portions (as defined in the IPR Policy).

1. How does a TC determine which track a Work Product should
take?
At the time a Working Draft is brought up for approval, the
TC must decide whether it is to become a Committee Draft
Specification (CDS) or a Committee Draft Note (CDN). The
Non-Standards Track is intended to be used for work products
that are explanatory or educational in nature and are not
implementable in and of themselves. Work Products in the
Non-Standards Track are not covered by the patent provisions
of the OASIS IPR Policy. Once making this decision the TC
should use the appropriate template for the document so that
it is clear which type of document it is.

2. Are Non-Standards Track Work Products covered by the
OASIS IPR Policy?
Non-Standards Track Work Products are covered by the
copyright provisions of the IPR Policy; they are not covered
by the patent provisions of the IPR policy.

3. Can a TC publish an early/draft version of a potential
standard as a Non-Standards Track Deliverable?
No; Non-Standards Track Work Products are not covered by the
patent provisions of the OASIS IPR Policy.

4. Can Non-Standards Track Work Products be submitted for
OASIS Standard vote?
No; the highest level of approval for a Non-Standards Track
Work Product is Committee Note (equivalent to Committee
Specification). 

5. Can Non-Standards Track Work Products be submitted to a
de jure standards body for further standardization?
No.

6. Is the approval process different for Non-Standards Track
Work Products?
No; the process is the same for both tracks (except for the
final Standards Track steps to progress to Candidate OASIS
Standard and OASIS Standard).

7. Do Non-Standards Track Work Products use the same
template required for Standards Track Work Products?
No; a different set of templates must be used. Templates are
provided at http://docs.oasis-open.org/templates/

8. Can a Work Product change tracks?
Yes; a TC can choose to switch tracks by conforming to the
appropriate template, approving the work as a committee
draft (either a Committee Specification Draft or Committee
Note Draft) and proceeding through the normal lifecycle
progression. If a TC anticipates a deliverable might become
an OASIS Standard they should initially choose the Standards
Track so that IPR obligations are incurred throughout the
stages of the process.

9. Are there other differences between Standards Track and
Non-Standards Track Work Products?
Yes; Section 2.18 Specification Quality has been expanded to
note the different requirements, including those for
Computer Language Definitions and Conformance Clauses. Also,
a new Restrictions and Disclaimers section has been added.

10. If a TC is preparing a slide presentation for a public
event, the presentation really have to be classified and
approved as a Non-Standards Work Product, including the
requirements to list all contributors, have a statement
about patents on every slide, require public review, etc.?
Yes.

11. Can a TC Member make a presentation on the work of the
TC to an external group without submitting the presentation
through the TC approval process?
Yes, provided you do not use the OASIS templates and it is
made clear that you are speaking on your own (or your
employer's) behalf rather than on behalf of the TC.

12. Why do we need this if all the main work of OASIS is
standards and specifications?
A number of TCs need clarity in how they can approve and
deliver non-standards track deliverables. This change is
also to anticipate additional work on adoption and education
type activities.

13. What impact does the process change have on
collaboration with non-TC members, in particular for
non-standards document?
None, non-TC members will still need to provide feedback via
the TC's comment list which requires acceptance of the OASIS
feedback license. Work on all Work Products must be done
within the TC, since ideas may be transferred between
Standards Track and Non-Standards Track Work Products.

14. Can a TC specify in its charter that it will produce
only Non-Standards Track documents, and then put "N/A" for
the IPR Mode in the Charter?
A TC can specify that it will only produce Non-Standards
Track Work Products. It must, however, still declare a
particular IPR Mode in accordance with the TC Process and
IPR Policies.

15. Do the rules about Contributions (from both the TC
Process and IPR Policy) apply to Non-Standards Track
documents as well as Standards Track documents?
Yes.

16. Why can't non-members participate in non-standards track
work?
They can, in the same way they participate in standards
track work; that is by submitting their feedback through the
TC's comment list. OASIS is supported by membership dues.
Unlike other organizations we do not charge for our
Standards and other deliverables; they are freely available
to anyone. While transparent, the work of OASIS needs to be
driven by members and the OASIS dues structure is designed
to enable potential participants to join OASIS. OASIS
welcomes new members.

New Stage Identifiers
-----------------
With the introduction of the Non-Standards Track come new
stage identifiers. The Standards Track Work Product stages
are Committee Specification Draft (CSD), Committee
Specification Public Review Draft (CSPRD), and Committee
Specification (CS). The Non-Standards Track Work Product
stages are Committee Note Draft (CND), Committee Note Public
Review Draft (CNPRD), and Committee Note (CN). Note that
committee draft refers to either a CSD or CND; similarly,
public review draft refers to either a CSPRD or CNPRD.

Public Review Requirements
----------------------
The Public Review requirements for TC-level approvals have
been simplified and streamlined, partially to accommodate
the addition of the Non-Standards Track.

1. What is the minimum length of time for an initial Public
Review?
The minimum length of time has been reduced to 30 days, with
subsequent reviews staying at a minimum of 15 days.

2. If a TC has a specification currently out for public
review, will the review period be shortened?
No; all public review drafts processed and announced prior
to 15 October will complete the 60-day public review period.
If, however, changes are made to the Work Product following
the Public Review, an additional 15-day review will be
required.

3. Is a Work Product exempt from additional review if it has
been changed since the last public review, but where the TC
has deemed that no substantive changes have been introduced?
No; any changes to a Work Product (other than those
explicitly allowed in Section 2.18) will now require an
additional review.

OASIS Standard Approval Process
--------------------------
The process for OASIS Standard approval has been modified.
There is now a new stage, Candidate OASIS Standard, which
falls between Committee Specification and OASIS Standard.
This new stage requires a minimum 60-day public review. The
process and timeline has also been changed.

1. Why is a minimum 60-day review required at this stage?
The initial public review period has been shortened to a
minimum of 30 days, speeding the process for those work
products that are not intended to be submitted for OASIS
Standard ballot. The 60 day review ensures that OASIS
Standards meet the requirements to be submitted to
international de jure standards bodies.

2. Is the 15-day familiarization period still required
before an OASIS Standard ballot begins?
No; there is no longer a familiarization period.

3. Can OASIS Standard submission requests be submitted at
any time?
Yes; there is no longer a fixed timeline requiring
submissions to be made by the 15th of the month. Submissions
may be made at any time; TC Administration must complete
processing and start the Candidate OASIS Standard Public
Review within 15 days of receipt of a request that meets the
requirements.

4. What happens if comments are received during the
Candidate OASIS Standard review?
The TC Process defines the specific steps to be taken given
the possible outcomes of the public review (no comments,
comments but no changes made, and resulting changes). If
there are no changes to be made, the TC Chair will notify
the TC Administrator to begin the ballot.

5. Will OASIS Standard ballots still begin on the 16th of
the month?
No; ballots may begin at any time and will run for 14 days.

6. Do these changes extend the amount of time it takes to
gain OASIS Standard status?
The amount of time it takes from working draft to OASIS
Standard has always been dependent on a number of factors;
however, the reduction of the first public review from 60
days to 30 days and the elimination of the fixed timeline
for OASIS Standard submission effectively cancel out the
additional 30 days of public review.

7. If a specification has already completed a 60-day Public
Review (or is/will be in progress on 15 October 2010), will
another 60-day review be required?
No; the TC Process defines a 90-day transition period. Any
Work Products that have either completed a 60-day Public
Review or are out for Public Review on 15 October, and are
submitted for OASIS Standard ballot on or before 13 January
2011 will continue to follow the TC Process that went into
effect on 1 September 2009.

Miscellaneous
-----------
1. What is the difference between Approved Errata and
Maintenance Activity?
A Maintenance Activity is a Standards Track approval process
that produces a new version of a CS/OS, scoped to
maintenance changes, for which specific IPR rules apply.
Maintenance work can be undertaken by either the TC that
originally created the specification or by a new TC if the
original TC has closed. Approved errata is a way to
produce/update an existing OASIS Standard (produced by the
same TC) which makes no substantive changes (changes that
could cause a previously conforming implementation to not
conform, or vice versa), i.e. it can fix only minor errors.
Errata can only be undertaken by the TC that originally
created the specification.

2. Approved Errata seems to apply only to an OASIS Standard;
is there any quick method for making minor changes to a
Committee Note once it's been published?
Changes to any Work Product other than an OASIS Standard are
simply revised, approved as a new CDS or CDN, submitted for
a 15-day Public Review, and approved as a CS or CN.

3. Can a person file an appeal of a TC action even if he or
she is not a TC Member?
Yes, as long as you are an OASIS Member.

4. What does it mean "must begin with step 1" in Section
3.0?
The steps outline the progression of approvals from the
first approval level (Committee Draft) all the way through
OASIS Standard. Any time a Work Product is changed (as a
working draft) it must be approved as a new Committee Draft
before progressing further.


If you have other questions that you would like to see
addressed in the FAQ, please send them to
mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org

------------------------------------------------------------
---------
To unsubscribe from this mail list, you must leave the OASIS
TC that
generates this mail.  Follow this link to all your TCs in
OASIS at:
https://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/portal/my_work
groups.php 




[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [List Home]