RE: [opendocument-users] Improvement submissions to the ODF-TC?

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

"Cody, John (OFT)" <John.Cody@oft.state.ny.us> wrote on 05/15/2009 
12:42:33 PM:
> 
> What is the easiest way for a user to determine the content of 
> proposals that have been submitted for consideration to the ODF-TC? 
> For example, if an implementer touts having made multiple proposals 
> to improve ODF, but then also makes implementation choices in which 
> it criticizes deficiencies in ODF, how does a user like me determine
> if the proposals that were submitted were aimed at addressing those 
> deficiencies, or not?
> 
> I prefer online responses, please.  Thank you, John
> 

I think I understand the context of the question better now, so let me 
point out two additional items which may be of interest and will save you 
from having to go through meeting minutes.

There is an inherent conflict when developing any periodic product, when a 
software application, a standard, a newsletter, whatever, between adding 
new and useful content versus delivering the already useful content that 
you have.  Every day you spend adding new features further delays giving 
users the benefits of what you already have. 

By last November, the ODF TC had completed the features it had initially 
set out to do for ODF 1.2.  We had completed our goals.  But we still had 
50 or so member proposals, and this number was increasing.  By decision of 
the TC, with no objections, we agreed to limit the number of additional 
proposals we would consider for ODF 1.2.  You can see the agreement in the 
meeting minutes here:

http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/office/200811/msg00124.html

On December 8th, again without objection, the TC agreed to have a vote on 
which of the remaining member proposals would be considered for ODF 1.2.

This agreement is in the minutes here: 
http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/office/200812/msg00055.html

You can see that step #4 called for members to reiterate their proposals 
if they wished to have them included in the ballot. 

The list of reiterated proposals is listed here:

http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/office/200812/msg00089.html

We voted on the list and the results are here:

http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/office/200812/msg00156.html

All eligible TC members voted.

I'm sure that there are a number of proposals that were made by members 
which have been abandoned by them, or superseded by other changes, or 
thought by the proposer to be of lesser importance and deferrable to 
ODF-Next. It isn't my job to track these.  It is the responsibility of the 
proposer to advance their proposals through the process.  So you might 
check that list of reiterated proposals carefully.  If you don't see the 
proposals you have in mind listed there, then you might ask the proposer 
why they did not ask for their proposals to be voted on.

Regards,

-Rob