Re: [opendocument-users] New question (2): Reference implementation?

[marbux <marbux@gmail.com>]

On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 8:41 AM,  <robert_weir@us.ibm.com> wrote:
> Dave Pawson <dave.pawson@gmail.com> wrote on 05/17/2009 10:12:09 AM:
>
>>
>> Re: [opendocument-users] New question (2): Reference implementation?
>>
>> >  What we do require is that a specification have
>> > three successful implementations which conform to the standard before
> we
>> > can vote on it as an OASIS Standard.  A single reference
> implementation is
>> > not part of our formal process.
>> >
>> > That's my answer wearing my TC Chair hat.
>>
>> Since the standard has no conformance spec, and very little in the way
>> of requirements against which conformance may be measured,
>> that means there aren't any successful implementations
>> (by this definition).
>>
>>
>
> That is incorrect, Dave.  The standard defines conformance in section 1.4
> "Document Processing and Conformance".

Correction on the section number. It's 1.5 in all adopted versions of
the standard. I'll land with Dave on this one because there is a
governing rule on the degree of specificity in conformity requirements
. International standards are to "specify clearly and unambiguously
the conformity requirements that are essential to achieve the
interoperability." JTC 1 Directives, page 145.

ODF fails that test miserably. E.g., ODF 1.2cd01 --- AWOL
Interoperability Conformity Requirements,
<http://www.universal-interop-council.org/node/41>. Notably, there is
no conformity requirement specifying that things must be done as
OpenOffice.org does, so the clear answer is that there is no reference
implementation. The question was not ambiguous as Rob suggests.

Best regards,

Paul E. Merrell, J.D. (Marbux)


-- 
Universal Interoperability Council
<http:www.universal-interop-council.org>