Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] ODF version in the charter, was Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] Myperspective. display perferct?

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

Shawn <sgrover@open2space.com> wrote on 07/02/2008
05:12:33 AM:

> Michael Brauer - Sun Germany - ham02 - Hamburg wrote:
> > Why do you think so. OASIS TCs operate in the public. ODF specification
> > drafts are publicly available available long before the the 
> > specifications get a standard. I therefore see no reason why
the OIIC TC 
> > could not use them as basis for its work.
> 
> -0.9  (thanks for the posting of the Apache process Rob!)
> 
> Only real problem I see here is that it would be meaningless for the
> OIIC TC to do its work - creating profiles/atomic tests/etc. for things
> that are likely to change due to something OTHER than the OIIC process.
>   If we say current "official" versions of ODF, we
know that version is 
> fixed and can look at it in earnest.

This is true, that you do not want to waste time defining
test cases for things that are likely to change significantly.

But note that with ODF 1.2, we have split the ODF
specification into multiple parts.  These parts are evolving at different
speeds, although ODF 1.2 will not complete until all parts are done.  Some
parts, like the packaging conventions, or the spreadsheet formula work
are more advanced than other parts.  And ODF 1.2 overall is undergoing
an editorial pass to clean up ambiguities and refine the language.

Note further that OASIS TC's have the ability to indicate
when they believe that the specification has advanced to the state where
attention from implementors, other standards, etc., is worthwhile.  We
do this by approving a draft as an official Committee Draft or Committee
Specification. 

So I think there are ways for the proposed TC to look
at ODF TC work, in progress, and determine what is ready for us to look
at, and what is too preliminary to bother with.  

And if that fails, then simply ping the ODF TC and
ask, "Is this stable enough for us to start work on?"

-Rob