Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] Draft Interoperability and Conformance TCformation proposal (0.2)

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

"Peter Dolding" <oiaohm@gmail.com> wrote on 07/24/2008 11:56:12 PM:

> 
> On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 4:37 AM,  <robert_weir@us.ibm.com> wrote:
> > The following activities are explicitly not within the Scope of the 
OIC TC:
> >
> > Acting as a rating or certifying authority or agency for conformance 
of ODF
> > implementations;
> > Authoring or distributing software that tests the conformance or
> > interoperability of ODF implementations;
> >
> Ok what is the point of the TC then.  Distributing software that tests
> the conformance or interoperablity is kinda a key requirement.
> 
> It removes the means to do "state of ODF conformance and
> interoperability (March 1st, 2009);" with correctness.
> 
> How can you find out how conformance and interoperability is going if
> you cannot send out tests.  Its going to be a complete yes sir it
> works everywhere limited tested and all.  Acid Tests have there place
> to make sure results found in controlled testing match real world.
> Distributing software is kinda key to Acid Testing to make sure
> results in reports are correct.   Worst case is if a application has
> failed and failed in lab conditions and shows up in Acid Testing that
> it works fine.  Cause was that you lab had a damaged copy of the
> application.  Acid testing is a key part of the process.
> 

OK.  Let me give a few examples of what I think is in scope and what 
isn't, and maybe someone can suggest a better way of expressing it.

In Scope: producing and distributing 1,000's of test documents in ODF 
format, accompanied by a document that explains how to conduct a 
conformance test using these documents.

Out of Scope:  A test harness written in C++ that automates the loading, 
testing and reporting of these test cases with OpenOffice.

In Scope: An Acid-like test of ODF in the form of one or more ODF 
documents. 

So the operative word here is "software".  Although members of the TC are 
certainly free to produce and distribute software that makes it easier to 
execute tests with their ODF implementation, this "glue" would be out of 
scope for the TC's official work.

So please let me know if you disagree with that in principle, or whether I 
just worded this unclearly.

Regards,

-Rob